When Lancaster students pick up their instruments to play or look down at their music books before raising their voices in song in Lancaster Square this evening, they will have a local nonprofit group to thank.

Music for Everyone supports music education programs in the School District of Lancaster and at other schools and organizations in the county.

This year the group is presenting $51,000 in checks — its largest amount ever — to 34 different schools and community organizations. That brings to more than $200,000 the sum given by Music for Everyone since 2006 for grants, scholarships and lessons.

One of the groups raising its voices in song will be Wickersham Elementary School's fifth-grade chorus.

Joe Torres, the school's music teacher, said Wickersham is getting $1,585 that will be used to buy a world music curriculum based on African drumming. He will use the instructional materials with next year's third-graders to better prepare them to join the school's band and orchestra in fourth and fifth grades.

Torres said he last received an MFE grant in 2009. That $3,700 gave him money to make repairs to instruments and purchase about 15 instruments and supplies such as reeds and strings.

"I repaired our instrumental program with that money," says Torres, who adds all but two of the school's instruments were signed out this year to the 65 students in the instrumental program.

"If it wasn't for Music for Everyone, I don't think we would be able to purchase instruments or get instruments repaired," he says.

John Gerdy, president of Music for Everyone, says his group is attempting to fill the "resource gap" for local schools.

"I think the budget situation is an indication that the kind of things we're doing are going to become even more important," Gerdy says. Gov. Tom Corbett's budget proposes a 20 percent cut in education funds.

Much of the money that will be presented in the middle of Friday's two-hour program was raised through Music for Everyone's successful "Keys for the City" piano program last summer.

That program placed 20 decorated pianos along the city's streets for anyone to play. The pianos were auctioned at the end of the four month initiative.

Gerdy says the program garnered about $20,000 for MFE, mostly from sponsorships.

Most of the annual grant money came from grassroots fund-raising, Gerdy says.

The group passes the hat during Music Friday's performances, sells stickers for $1 each, or sells chances to win a conga drum or some other instrument.

"Every dollar is important. Every dollar makes a difference," he says.

With no paid staff and very little overhead costs, virtually every dollar raised can go straight to the students, he says.

"It's really a testament to the generosity of the people of Lancaster. They have really come around to how important the arts are and music as an educational tool. I'm really excited about how the community has supported this," he says.

Music for Everyone also produces and sells compact discs of local music, Gerdy says. But that effort is less about raising money than it is about giving children the opportunity to perform.

He has been thanked again and again by teachers and school principals for arranging public performances, he says.

"It gives them a chance to shine," Gerdy says.

Performing Friday will be students from: Burrowes Elementary, 5:30 - 5:45 p.m.; Lafayette Elementary, 5:50 - 6:05 p.m.; Wickersham Elementary, 6:10 - 6:25 p.m.; Wheatland Middle School, 6:45-

7 p.m.; Washington Elementary, 7:05 - 7:20 p.m.; and, tentatively, United Disabilities, 7:25 - 7:40 p.m.

"It's a lot of fun, but we're just scratching the surface. There is a lot of need," Gerdy says of the program, citing the $140,000 in grant requests he received this year.

The grants being awarded are: Beck Elementary, $875; Bonfield Elementary, $1,000; Lititz Elementary, $1,000; Washington Elementary (string program), $1,625; Price Elementary, $2,306; Burrowes Elementary, $1,750; Buchanan Elementary, $1,750; Lafayette Elementary, $1,975; King Elementary, $2,700; Wharton Elementary, $1,750; Fulton Elementary, $1,739; Washington Elementary (drum program), $1,250; Hand Middle School, $1,500; Wheatland Middle School, $1,500; Wickersham Elementary, $1,585; Pequea Elementary, $1,723; Pequea Valley Intermediate, $2,500; Salisbury and Paradise Elementary Schools,$1,328; Penn Manor Elementary Schools, $2,150; Conestoga Valley Middle School, $1,467; Park and Taylor Elementary Schools, $2,400; Columbia Borough School District, $900; Cocalico Middle School, $1,250; Cocalico High School, $1,500; Clare House, $755; Aaron's Acres, $627; Schreiber Pediatric Rehab Center, $300; Heads Up Lancaster, $2,250; CAP Child Care, $1,166; United Disabilities, $1,000; Philhaven, $1000; Music Prep Program, $2,316; YWCA, $1,850; and Cocalico Care Center, $440.

bharris@lnpnews.com