They took the retired, the worn and the muddled saxes.

Brian Van Kirk, music chair at Thunder Mountain High School, and a handful of band students collected secondhand horns, woodwinds and more for a musical instrument drive Saturday at the high school.

“I’m not sure what to expect,” Van Kirk said. “This is the first time we’ve done this.”

Van Kirk said the drive is a way to supplement the instruments available for students in the district, and there is a need because of a lack of local instrument rental options.

Also, he said it’s a way to ensure interest in music being cultivated at the elementary school level can continue to grow.

“We need to make sure it’s sustainable at the middle school and high school levels,” Van Kirk said.

The drive started at 9 a.m., and 90 minutes later, about a dozen musical instruments had been donated. Donors were given tax deductible donation sheets for their instruments.

At 10:30 a.m. the haul included a drum set, a flute, a drum kit, a clarinet, multiple saxophones, a nearly brand new violin and an unopened guitar among other items.

Becca Marx was one of the donors.

Marx dropped off a violin she was given in sixth grade and played sparingly.

“I’ve only played it a couple of times,” Marx said. “I thought it’d go to better use here.”

Jim Anderson, who donated a Fender acoustic guitar still in its original box, had similar thoughts.

“My wife was into playing the guitar, and it just went away for her,” Anderson said. “It’s nice to have it out of the house and taking up space and have it someplace people will use it. Maybe the next Eric Clapton will play it.”

Anderson also donated a guitar tuner, a pitch pipe and a homemade music stand that could be converted to be used on a table or as a standalone.

“I think it was like a tie rack, and I started looking at it, and I said, ‘I can do this,” Anderson said of the custom-built equipment.

Van Kirk said all of the items could be used, and the instruments collected will be used throughout the district.

“I need bigger instruments, but violins and guitars are really needed,” Van Kirk said.

Even the instruments in states of slight disrepair can be fixed and used.

“We’re looking at having some different organizations help with some repairs, which we hope to do locally,” Van Kirk said.

While the drive ended at noon Saturday, Van Kirk said collection efforts can continue if there are people in the community with instruments they’d like to donate.

“They can come by and drop it off at Thunder Mountain,” Van Kirk said.

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• Contact Capital City Weekly reporter Ben Hohenstatt at 523-2243.

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