16-year-old Pine View junior, Natalie Kondos, has taken the initiative of starting up her very own nonprofit organization called Instruments of Hope to bring musical instruments to those recovering from natural disasters. When she was just three years old, Kondos’ home was severely damaged by Hurricane Charley. It took nearly three years to repair the house and get things back in order. During that time, Kondos learned to play the piano and cello as a way of coping with the devastation around her. With that difficult experience as inspiration, Kondos’ mission is to reach out to young people in communities affected by natural disasters by providing them with musical instruments and instruction free of charge. With the idea that musical expression can be a powerful healing tool, she hopes to help re-establish a feeling of peace, stability, and joy in children’s hearts as their communities rebuild. Instruments of Hope will have its very first fundraiser on February 4th from 1-3 pm at Paint & Party in Nokomis. Register at the website below.

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