Yay! Another In Tune Missoula is now in the books! The event on April 23 at the ZACC marked the fourth year Rotary Club of Missoula has organized this benefit to raise funds for music education in Missoula County.

It’s too soon to know the final amount raised, but the goal of the In Tune team this year was to have an event that is fun, fun, fun and, thanks to the two bands who donated their talent to the cause — and a tireless Rotary In Tune Committee — without a doubt, we met that goal.  

Beau Akimbo is an eight-piece funk/pop band with a killer horn section that plays high-energy, danceable tunes, and they definitely got folks on the dance floor during the first set.

In the second set, Missoula Mixtape, a seven-piece band featuring several of the same instrumentalists, kept people dancing with covers from the 1980s. They even had a “moonwalk” contest, in which Assistant Governor Dean Fiedler and Past President Andrew George did Rotary Club of Missoula proud.

Dean did his usual terrific job as emcee and Youth Director Mary Moe gave the traditional tribute to music education in order to emphasize the importance of Rotary’s In Tune project. She then invited the music educators in attendance to stand in front of the stage and receive our appreciation. Attendees joined in a rousing round of applause for them.

Out in the foyer, Club Secretary Bill Schwanke, President-Elect Lori Cummings, Immediate Past President Patti Schulte, and District Governor-Elect Kathy Schulte ran the operations needed to process admissions, the 50-50 raffle, and the silent auction purchases. Community Service Director Phyllis Green set up and monitored the silent auction with her trademark diligence.

Attendees were thrilled with the experience. An entire book club attended; if they read and discuss books with the energy and endurance they brought to the dance floor, the world of literature is in good hands.

Music educators were touched and delighted by the recognition they received. Everyone left with smiles on their faces, and one veteran attendee remarked, “Best one yet!”

Mary, who served as chair of In Tune Missoula for the fourth consecutive year, was delighted with the turnout and the joy so apparent at the venue. 

“That wouldn’t have happened,” she said, “if we didn’t have such a great team. Even those who were not able to attend made significant contributions to the event. I particularly want to recognize Phyllis Green, who put in months preparing for the auction and was absolutely dogged in ensuring that every ‘i’ was dotted and ‘t’ crossed in the days leading up it.” 

Thank you to the In Tune Committee, Rotarians, volunteers, sponsors, auction donors and bidders, musicians, caterers, and music teachers who supported the event, as well as the ZACC staff for allowing us to host the fundraiser in their lovely facility.