CONTRIBUTED

In continued support of the arts in education, State Employees' Credit Union (SECU) members, through the SECU Foundation, have provided the North Carolina Symphony with $140,000 in funding for a new 28-foot insulated vehicle.

The new vehicle will help the nationally recognized North Carolina Symphony continue its broad travels across the state to bring world-class talent and musical performances to North Carolina students and communities each year, a news release said.

The symphony's new travel unit is a vital component for transporting the orchestra's valuable instruments in a structurally sound, temperature- and humidity-controlled environment in order to maintain instrument integrity.

The North Carolina Symphony is the state's premier professional orchestra and largest performing arts organization. The symphony performs 175 concerts each season. It travels more than 12,000 miles annually, reaching nearly 250,000 adults and children every year through performances in concert halls, auditoriums, gymnasiums and outdoor settings in North Carolina communities all across the state.

The symphony's extensive music education program, one of the largest offered by a U.S. orchestra, serves North Carolina's elementary, middle and high school students through full-orchestra education concerts and outreach initiatives, the release said. About 40 full-orchestra education concerts are performed by the symphony each year for more than 55,000 eleme ntary school students.

"The symphony reaches a very diverse audience from all age groups throughout North Carolina," said Jim Barber, SECU Foundation board chairman. "Their incredible music education program provides students with the opportunity to experience, study and appreciate the culture and enriching qualities of orchestral music under nationally recognized leadership.

"SECU members welcome the opportunity to support the North Carolina Symphony and help bring music education to all North Carolina students."

Sandi Macdonald, president and CEO of the North Carolina Symphony, said, "The symphony is delighted with this generous support from the State Employees' Credit Union Foundation. As a new and important partner to the North Carolina Symphony, SECU members are assisting us in providing students throughout the state with great music, performed at the highest levels, right in their hometowns.

"Attending a concert live is an incomparable experience, and we cannot thank SECU Foundation enough for helping us make that happen, especially for so many young people across the state of North Carolina."

SECU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its 1.8 million members, providing services to the employees of the state of North Carolina and their families.

The SECU Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization funded solely by the contributions of SECU members and promotes local community development in North Carolina primarily through high-impact projects in the areas of education, health and human services.