Her name is Jeannie and she's a little fireball of energy. With her signature buzz-cut hair, baggy overalls she wears all the time and contagious smile, she's hard to miss. And indeed, she has made a lasting impression on me and the entire town of Sitka.
By day, she's a mental health specialist, but I will always see her as the perky, laughing, and ever-patient ukuleleist I had the pleasure of spending time with every Sunday after work this summer. Most amazing however, is that Jeannie teaches ukulele for free, for anyone and everyone who wants to learn. In fact, she's trying to get together 100 people to play ukulele in Sitka -- but more on that later.
Lessons were held in the chapel of the retirement home in Sitka. It was a fair distance from my house, so I would usually bike through the rain to get there on time after work, and then make my way up through the corridors that smelled distinctly of hospital food. And there in the middle of the chapel would be a small group of ukuleleists gathered in a circle, tuning up. Many were first-timers, and a few were weekly regulars.
A group of us playing along to "Cups" at my first lesson (ok, so it was a little rough!)
The first time I went to a lesson, there were not enough ukuleles for everyone, but a few other newcomers and I followed along playing "air ukulele" (kind of like air guitar... you get the picture) and lending our singing voices, such as they were. It worked well enough, and by the next week when I was handed an instrument for the first time, it was easy to catch on. After I'd been to a few lessons and proved to be a quick study, she let me take one of her extra ukes home to practice during the week.
Jeannie's philosophy was simple: "If you know how to play ukulele, why not teach other people how to play?" I wish everyone thought that way. She sought no return for her investment of time and energy into teaching anyone and everyone how to play -- she did it simply because she liked it. Oh, and she wanted to get 100 people to play "Firework" at the same time to petition Katy Perry to come to Sitka.
Some of the Sitka Ukulele 100 playing at the Farmer's Market
I wasn't sure if she was just kidding at first, but as more and more people started coming to her lessons or her performances at the farmer's market and town events, it actually became an attainable goal. At the beginning of the year, she started a group called "Sitka Ukulele 100" and although I don't think she has reached it yet, she is well on her way and I have no doubt she will get her 100 to perform. Jeannie is a perfect example of how kindness can make anything possible.
On my part, I can say that my life is that much richer for having amazing people like Jeannie who have passed through it and made a lasting impact. So here's to Jeannie, and all of the generous and passionate people in this world like her who give others an opportunity and a chance at something they didn't have before. In this case, it's a new love for a very small and wonderful instrument, and a mental note to pay forward her kindness.
A recording of practicing a simple chord progression
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