Ramona Music Center

Jon Hasz and Baylee Strayer. Photo by Regina Elling

The young owners of a local music shop didn't just find out about a problem - they found a musical solution that will impact the Ramona community for years.

Baylee Strayer and Jon Hasz are the relatively new owners of the Ramona Music Center, formerly Blue Horse Music. Students themselves, they both love music and feel "it's kept us out of a lot of potential trouble throughout our lives," says Strayer.

So when they learned that many of the youngsters in Ramona schools have limited or no access to musical equipment, they chose to fill the void. Their solution was to donate more than 20 student-sized classical guitars to area schools.

So far, they have donated five guitars each to Hanson, Ramona,James Duke and Mount Woodson elementary schools. The guitars are valued at nearly $70 each.

"It is much easier for kids to get started in music when they are young," says Strayer. "And we really feel the importance of music in a young person's life should be reinforced."