The Laureen Swanson Music for Youth Foundation has been helping kids in the Midcoast area who need financial assistance with their musical endeavors for 44 years and have now teamed up with Walmart to reach even more kids.

Adam Tremblay, manager at Walmart in Brunswick, who approved the grant to the LSMFY Foundation, which then awarded the grant to the Brunswick High School music department. Courtesy of Holly Swanson

Adam Tremblay, the store manager at Walmart on Tibbetts Drive in Brunswick, choose the LSMFY Foundation to receive a $5,000 grant from Walmart. The foundation awarded the grant to the Brunswick High School music department.

The foundation stated in a prepared release, “We could not have launched our first block grant without the help of donations from organizations like Walmart. Thank you, Adam, for generously supporting our mission!”

The foundation’s namesake, Laureen Swanson, graduated from Brunswick High School in 1974. She was very involved in chorus, theater and piano at BHS and throughout her college years. When she passed away from leukemia at the age of 22, her parents established a memorial fund to help young people in the Midcoast region pursue their musical interests.

The LSMFY Foundation helps individual students up to age 22 afford music lessons, instruments and trips to national events and music camps. Students can find the application online at laureenswansonmusicforyouthfoundation.org. Individual scholarship applications are accepted year-round and reviewed monthly. This year, the foundation began a pilot program awarding block grants.

The foundation welcomes donations large or small. It is also looking to expands its board of directors. Interested parties can contact the foundation at LSMFYfund@gmail.com or through its website.

Holly Swanson (left), president of LSMFY Foundation, and Brandon Duras, band director at Brunswick High School, excited to work together helping musical kids. Courtesy of Holly Swanson