Students at Wilmot Elementary School in Deerfield have been studying guitar with music teacher Maryann Loda. The guitars are in working order thanks to Bob Gand, owner of the Village Music Store in Deerfield, and his daughter Gale, who generously have been helping repair Wilmot’s guitars. “The students and their teachers are so appreciative of the Gand family’s generosity,” said Loda.

Recently, Bob and Gale came to Wilmot to perform with Dana Salzer’s fifth grade class. The students, Bob and Gale played various folk and rock songs together. The Gands also taught a Flamenco guitar song to the class and demonstrated banjo and ukulele, which the students were able to try.

The Gand family has a strong connection to Wilmot School: Bob was inspired to learn the guitar after organizing a performance for Wilmot’s PTO many years ago, and this eventually blossomed into a full-time career teaching, performing, and running his store. Gale was a Wilmot student in the 1960s, and she performed with her dad and repaired guitars for him during her high school years and beyond. Her daughters currently are first graders at Wilmot, and her son is a Wilmot alumnus.

link: Trib Local