Nate Karr’s Guitars for Kids giveaway set for holiday season
By: Noel Hardin
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- For the past three years, a local man has ensured a friend's final wish strikes a chord with the next generation.
Jay Kerner hosts an annual guitar giveaway for kids, a project he started with his late friend and bandmate, Nate Carr.
The tradition began when Kerner and Carr, the late owner of Foster's Wine & Martini Bar, gave away a few guitars one Christmas.
Carr passed away unexpectedly in 2020, but Kerner has continued the mission in his friend's memory.
"Nate Carr and I had a band, and we gave away some guitars the Christmas before he passed away," Kerner recalled. "We didn't know he was going to be passing away, but we had such a good time doing it," he said, 'You know, we should do this every year.' And then when we lost him, we just continued to do it, and so we do it in his name."
Kerner collects the instruments through garage sales and donations from community members who have no current use for them.
He emphasized, the quality of the guitars is up to standard, allowing him to give children an instrument they can grow with.
"The vast majority of them have just come from generous people that know about the project," Kerner said. "Every single thing that we've given away is far nicer than what I started with. That's what we want them to start off with, a quality instrument."
The initiative has given away over a hundred guitars. Kerner said he's been approached by multiple parents and guardians who say the gift has inspired their children to play.
He hopes receiving a guitar will encourage kids to commit to learning a valuable, lifelong skill.
"You can make a career of it, if you want to, but it's something that you can do really for the rest of your life," he said.
The next giveaway will be held at Lanham Music on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Kids aged 10 to 18 can enter their name in a drawing at Lanham until 2 p.m. Saturday.
The winners will be drawn at the 2 p.m. deadline, and can pick out their own guitar.
Kerner holds these drawings regularly, with the next one expected in the spring.
