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Week of March 2, 2023
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DENVER, COLORADO
A publication of
VOLUME 96 | ISSUE 15
Gun buyers Bringing Music to Life returns for 13th year would have to wait 3 days to access weapons Waiting proposal introduced BY ELLIOTT WENZLER AND JESSE PAUL THE COLORADO SUN
A Highlands Ranch mother purchased a 9mm Glock handgun, picked up her 5-year-old son from kindergarten and killed him, his 3-year-old brother and herself in the loading dock of a shuttered Sports Authority store. The tragedy unfolded over the span of just a few hours on a day in November 2016. Colorado lawmakers want to prevent a similar series of events from happening with such haste and ease ever again, and so this week Democrats will introduce a bill that would enact a three-day waiting period between when someone purchases a gun and when they can access the weapon, mirroring policies that have been adopted in other states. “It’s giving people the opportunity to take a breath,” said Sen. Tom Sullivan, a Centennial Democrat whose son, Alex, was murdered in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting and who will be a lead sponsor of the legislation. “We know that when people decide to kill themselves with a firearm, sometimes they spend less than 20 minutes making that decision. A simple interruption in someSEE WEAPONS, P2
A student plays a baritone that was donated through a previous Bringing Music to Life Instrument Drive.
Instrument drive benefits local schools BY CLARKE READER SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA
Anyone who has seen a child fall in love with music knows the lasting impact the art can have on a life. But if children never have access to those instruments, all the love of music in the world won’t do any good. For the last 13 years, Steve Blatt, executive director of the Bringing Music to Life Instrument Drive, has been working to ensure that students all over the state have instruments to play. And his passion for the cause is just as strong as ever. “In some ways, we’re just trying to do a better job of what we’ve always
done — reach more schools and get more instruments out,” he said. “This is the kind of thing that takes the help of a lot of people to make happen and we’ve always had very generous partners all over the state.” And while this year’s drive will be Blatt’s last year as the nonprofit’s executive director, he’s remaining on the board. The newly appointed assistant executive director, Christine Andresen, will be taking over and can match Blatt’s dedication to providing the lifelong gift of music. “There are so many children struggling and people may not know what to do or how to help,” Blatt said. “What’s great about this is it’s a concrete way to have a positive impact on a child’s life.” Since the drives began, more than 7,500 instruments have been awarded and the organization estimates that more than 18,000 students have
COURTESY OF BRINGING MUSIC TO LIFE
benefited from the years of donations. The 2023 Bringing Music to Life Instrument Drive is running from March 6 through March 19. Participants who have gently-used band and orchestra instruments they no longer play can be taken to any one of 16 donation locations across the state. All types of band and orchestra instruments are welcome, but tubas, baritones, tenor saxophones, string basses, cellos and violas are all especially needed. The organization understands that donating what was once an important part of a life can be difficult. “It can take a bit of time for people to get ready to give up an instrument,” Blatt said. “You remember all the pieces played and the concerts SEE MUSIC, P5
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 11
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