Dear PTA Friends:
I have 9 children ages 32 to 11. That means 27 years of PTA service and counting! (with 12 g-kids it means FOREVER) I served on the Bernalillo County PTA as their safety director for many years at the same time running the New Mexico Missing Children's Clearinghouse. I am very familiar with grass roots projects. I started back to school when my last child started first grade. We are now in 6th. I am 3 semesters from a Masters in Counseling. I have already earned my 200 hours grad course certification in Death Education/Hospice/Grief Counseling. I am doing my internship at an elementary school at present. Boy am I doing a lot of grief counseling!!! My life seems to have come full circle! These days "healing music" takes all forms...roaring 20's, nostalgic 40's, fabulous 50's, swinging 60's, new age 70's, rage 80's, wave 90's. There are ears eager to hear it all...and all around us is sadness and silence. We can help fill the void. And we can help the children help.

I am a 53 year old Heartside Theraharpist(TM). I am a hospice harpist. I am a Certified Music Practitioner trained to play at the heartside/bedside of the ill and dying. (Certification from MHTP...Music for Healing and Transition see website www.mhtp.org go to SOUNDBOARD for some of essays and poetry) My first job in the late 60's was as a radio station inventory specialist...logging in all the promos and demo music. I know there was a lot of overage and slush that never went anywhere. Tapes and records just "sat".... I know there is a lot of music "out there" not being used. NOW there is a need. I've contacted all my harpy friends, but NOW I need your help. Is there anyway you can help me get the word out to musicians and general public, perhaps the school bands and orchestras, the regular classrooms? There is no money or glory in this for anybody, just a grass roots effort...just a community service. Even the school kids could be mobilized to donate along with a drawing or a card without costing them any money. Thanks in advance. Betty Butler, 505-344-6690, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Below is what I have sent to my peers.

ANNIVERSARY GIFTS OF HEALING CD'S 4 NYC...CALL TO SERVE

It seems only fitting on this day, October 11th, 2001...one month since the Trade Tower Tragedy that I ask again for your assistance. I was in Washington, DC on the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10 of September speaking at the American Academy of Pain Management Conference where I exposed many Physicians to Therapeutic Music and grief work. Many of them live on the East coast, predominately New York and New Jersey. They have written me of the devastation and the powerful desire "to hear the music again." There are so many "walking dead" that they are finding it hard to comfort everyone, including themselves. There aren't enough of us to go around! I believe the children and youth can be mobilized...The holidays are coming and it is going to be a difficult grieving time trying to find the soul in the celebrations when their soul song is missing.

My thought was to send them new and used CD's and tapes of our music. That OUTREACH PROJECT has begun. I send my thanks to those who have already responded and send messages of the receipients' gratitude. One Doctor pointed out that "there are many interests and tastes of music in Manhatten" and was wondering if there might be "other" tapes/CD's beside "just harp/flute/cello?" I know we all have all kinds and styles in our collections of music. Of those many CD's and Tapes of music could we not part with a few? I'm asking that we bundle up five or ten tapes or CD's from our collections (our own therapeutic music but also some "regular" music as well. Some kids songs, even some "talking" books, some beebop, some rock, some C&W, R&B, Religious, East Indian, Native American, Cajun, Classical, etc.) There is a void of any music at the moment.

I am the New Mexico Human Resource Network Representative for the Association of Death Educators and Counselors. My counterpart in New York City will dispense the CD's and tapes to churches, hospitals, clinics, individuals, schools and day-care centers. All we ask is that you email me (at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) that you are sending something, the amount and kind, and your address. My colleague and her associates are inundated with the present "work at hand" and will not be able to respond with acknowledgements or thank yous. But I will acknowledge your donation for your records.
My thanks in advance. Betty Butler, Heartside Theraharpy(tm) at Harpside, Healers of the Heart Outreach (a not-for-profit community heartside service project)

So if each school could designate a Volunteer Organizer who will make some posters and/or flyers announcing the pickup/dropoff dates...Oct 31 "Treat" Day or Thanksgiving...have a box in the Principals office or foyer, and utilize PTA discretionary funds or a bake sale to pay for the postage...help kids to write cards/art and select the music and talking book tapes that kids in New York might be comforted and cheered to receive. Where we had Hands Across America we can now have Hearts Healing Hearts Outreaching Across America. Send your CD's and tapes to:
HEALERS OF THE HEART (TM) OUTREACH PROJECT
c/o Dr. Sherry R. Schachter,
Assistant Attending Grief Therapist,
Pain and Palliative Care Service,
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center,
1275 York Avenue: Box 52
New York, NY 10021