The official web site of the Lowell Alumni Association

Thanks to the leadership and extreme generosity of an anonymous alumnus, the Bob Anino Music Endowment Fund recently completed a very successful matching gift campaign that boosted the fund by more than $70,000 to its current level of just over $120,000. The anonymous donor pledged up to $50,000 to match, dollar-for-dollar, all new donations to the Anino Fund, which provides perpetual support to all of Lowell's music programs. Established with an initial $50,000 bequest from the estate of the late Bob Anino '29, beloved Lowell teacher, alumnus and composer of many Lowell spirit songs, the enhanced fund will be able to generate more than $6,000 in supplemental funding to Lowell's music programs this year alone.

In total, nearly 300 new donations were received during this special campaign, with total proceeds reaching 70% of the campaign's goal of $50,000. Donors included alumni from classes ranging from 1927 through 2005 as well as several of Bob Anino's faculty colleagues and other friends of Lowell. Particularly noteworthy was the donation of more than $1,900 from the May, 2005, joint reunion for the classes of Fall '48, Spring '49 and Fall '49. And more than $1,000 of additional donations came from friends of Ken Wolff '82 and Margaret Yee '82 in honor of their December, 2004, wedding. Thanks for making this effort part of these very special events!

Michele Winter, head of Lowell's Visual and Performing Arts department and leader of the Lowell Orchestra, already has big plans for the first installment of Anino Fund money. "We'll be buying a double bass, two piccolos and five piano benches, all of which are sorely needed and will provide a lasting reminder of Bob Anino's legacy at Lowell," says Winter. All facets of Lowell's music program, including the Symphonic Band, Choir, Jazz Band and Orchestra, will benefit from the Anino Fund.

To all who helped make this special campaign such a resounding success, many thanks on behalf of the thousands of Lowell music students who will benefit from these funds now and in the future.