Meinl does its bit

German percussion brand Meinl, is handing over the proceeds from the ticket sales of this year’s 2015 Meinl Drum Festival to two charities-  The Danilo Perez Foundation and the Károly István Orphanage.

The Danilo Perez Foundation in Panama recruits children and young people at social risk with a talent for music who can’t afford a musical education and offers them a free scholarship to promote and develop their musical talents. Established in 2005, the Panamanian foundation supports children and youth, regardless of their socio-economic status, with music education as well as enabling them to become socially responsible members of Panamanian culture and respected citizens.

Founded in 1957, the Károly István Orphanage near Budapest has raised more than 6,000 children and is the biggest of its kind in Hungary. Music therapy plays a big role in the educational program of this orphanage, which also works a lot with physically as well as mentally handicapped children.

Meinl will donate percussion instruments equaling the worth of the proceeds made from the Meinl Drum festival ticket sales and voluntary donations of the festival’s VIP guests to both of the charities. “Our drum festival is a non-profit event,” said Meinl’s Norbert Saemann. “We would like to give back and support those who are in need. Music and music education are what drives us. These two elements have always been the mission of our drum festival. Therefore we hope that donating our instruments to these two charitable organisations will be helpful to them and the children playing the instruments.”