Guitar project amplifies students
STORY AND PHOTO BY KRISTEN WOHLERS
Have you noticed the in flux o f guitars
hanging from walls around campus?
C la c k a m a s C o m m u n ity C o lle g e
counselor Casey Sims is the man behind
w hat h e’ s calling “ The Cam pus Guitar
Project.”
Sims has scattered at least 14 guitars,
equipped with picks and tuners, around
the college campuses, including in the
Com m unity Center, Niemeyer, Barlow,
McLoughlin and more. He’s also placed them
at the Harmony and Wilsonville Campuses.
He is committed to providing a guitar
for any building on the campuses, if it’ s
wanted and it’ s not disruptive.
The idea behind the project is to make
the instrum ents accessible for anyone
who wants to pluck one from the wall
and play a tune.
“ It’s just about helping to create a more
positive sense of community and maybe a
little playfulness on campus,” said Sims.
He added, “ The college cam pus is a
lot o f th in gs, including a place where
people spend extra time; and I value the
little windows of time where people might
strum a few chords. I think that m ight
benefit not only them , but maybe the
other people that they’re w ith.”
Ignacio Gonzalez, a counselor at the
college, said that so far the project has
been w ell received.
“The feedback has been generally really
positive with most buildings reporting an
increase in students just breaking into song,
and grabbing a guitar, and attracting other <
students to come and join,” said Gonzalez.
“ That has been a very positive thing. ”
It m akes Sim s “ so happy” w hen he
catches a student strumming one o f the
guitars; and nearly every day, people tell
him that they’ve seen someone playing.
Student Jadon Clifton recently picked up
the guitar in the Fireside Lounge before
class.
“ I have an exam in 10 minutes, and I*
just need to calm m yself down a little
b it,” said Clifton.
The project began w ith one guitar in
Sims’s office. Sims was inspired by former
dean Bill Briare, who he played with in a
band for staff meetings, and who kept a
variety of instruments in his office. That’s
how Sims got the idea to keep an extra
guitar in his office at the college.
A fte r th a t, h e put a guitar in the
classroom where he teaches a First Year
Experience class. Sometimes he would
play and sing for his students.
“ It’ s nice to get silly a little bit once in
aw hile,” said Sims. “ Students appreciate
that the instructor isn ’ t so rigid. I did
write a song about college success for
fu n ? ’
As the guitars began to spread, Sim s
was rem ind ed o f a piano project in
Portland called “ Piano. Push. Play.” The
organization restores pianos, paints them
fun colors and puts them in public places
during the summer.
“ I think this piano project is really cool.
A N O P U T IT B A C K W H E N Y O U ’ RE D O N E
I’m really inspired by it,” Sims said. “ And
then it occurred to m e, what if I could
do something like that with guitars on
cam pus?”
And so, The Campus Guitar Project was
borii.
C o n w w n ity C c
Sims pays for the guitars out of his own
pocket. He enjoys Saying, “ No taxpayer
dollars were harmed in the creation of .
this project.”
He had been saying up to buy a nice
Breedlove guitar for him self, w hen he
realized that it m ight not be worth the
tim e and m oney since his kids would
likely get a hold of it.
“ Instead, I just spent th e money that
I’d saved up on all these used guitars on
Craig’s List,” said Sims. “ And it’s brought
me so much more joy than having one
fancy one that no one else is supposed
to play.”
If anyone has a guitar that’s collecting
dust, Sims is happy to take it o ff his or
her hands and put it to use for the project.
Sims searches for great deals on guitars
that may have cosmetic or other flaws,
and takes them to a local music store
called Trade Up M usic. The store has
two Portland locations by that name as
well as a Southwest location called Hum
Strum Drum. The technicians (shout o u t .
to Dan and Miles) transform the guitars
into something playable for the college
com m unity by putting on new strings,
m aking adjustm ents and doing other
minor repairs as needed.
The restored guitars are available not
only for casual play, but also for students
to borrow for guitar lessons or classes
at the college. Sims wants to encourage
people to learn to play.
“ You can play like 100 songs with three
chords,” said Clifton.
So, pick up a campus guitar. Strum a College counselor Casey Sims strums one of his guitars. He’s donated more than <
few chords. A few is all you need.
dozen to campus in an effort to encourage relaxation and play.
PICK
THIS UP
CAMPUS ¡GUITAR
J L Clackamas
Clackamas Print JUNE 7,2017 thedackamasprint.com 1