In 2023, flood waters destroyed all the musical instruments at Pajaro Middle School. Thanks to the South Bay Guitar Society, the students now have 24 new guitars to replace what was lost. Garvin Thomas has the story.
Dimitrios Douros' romance with guitars and guitar music began many years ago and many miles away from his current home in Santa Cruz.
"My father always loved music and we always heard it when I was in Greece growing up," Douros said. "I can listen to it 24/7."
So, when Douros moved to Northern California it made sense that he would seek out others who shared his passion. He found them among the members of the South Bay Guitar Society.
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The Guitar Society is a non-profit that looks to promote classical and similar styles of guitar music through concerts, open mic nights, and master classes.
But in January of 2023, when he saw the devastation caused by flooding in the Monterey County community of Pajaro, Douros saw an opportunity to share the group's passion for guitars and do good at the same time.
He contacted the Pajaro Valley Unified School District and asked what happened to their musical instruments in the flood. Like everything else, he was told, they were destroyed.
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So, the SBGS offered to replace the guitars that were lost.
It took many months to iron out the logistics, but on Monday, Douros and Guitar Society President Josh Friedman delivered 24 new guitars to two dozen grateful sixth-graders.
"The money was there, the need was there, so we met it," Douros said.
