Spring 2023

Your Donations Make A Difference!

By Cheryl Hayn
Board Secretary
The Board and I appreciate each
and every one you for your consid-
eration of Ryan’s Fund. For over 12
years the Fund has been support-
ing music students by purchasing
instruments and equipment that
wouldn’t have been possible without
the Fund. Nearly 40 new and used
instruments have been purchased,
with your help, including a used
trumpet and tuba over the last few
months. All your contributions go
directly toward the band program.
There are no administrative costs;
these are all provided as in-kind
services by Ryan’s family and
friends.
much they appreciate your support,
and how the band has positively
contributed to many aspects of
their lives.
We want to continue to help march-
ing band students develop lifelong
skills that will help them grow and
develop into happy, successful, and
productive adults. Should you be
moved again to help more youth in
their musical education, develop-
ment and formation, please donate
at http://rahmemorialfund.weebly.
com/ or make checks payable to the
Ryan A. Hayn Memorial Fund, P.O.
Box 655, Murrayville, GA 30564
and return the enclosed envelope.
Thank you again, for your
generosity!

These stories from the band’s (Photo) Ryan having fun practicing
current student leaders show how his trombone at home.

Thank You for Your Support

By Ren Grimsley
Senior Band President
There are many things we have to
be grateful for here at George Wal-
ton Academy, as someone who has
been a part of the band for the past
eight years, it’s always been obvious
that one of the things that makes
our program so great is how we
(Photo) Ren Grimsley leads warm
-up before taking the field
have some of the best resources of
any band in our area. This includes
the very instruments that we play. I
know that myself and many others
are very grateful that we have access
to these instruments and the stu-
dents who enter the band after us
will still have a quality instrument
to play. Thank you to the Ryan
Hayn Fund for your support of us,
the students, it really does mean a
lot.
 Message from the George Walton Academy Band Director
By Christian Smith, Fund Administrator and GWA Director of Bands, Monroe, Ga.

Hello to Everyone and Happy New Year to all!

I would like to take a moment and thank all of you for the tremendous support you have given to the Ryan Hayn
Fund and to the GWA Bands over the years. It has become a vital part of our success and my students are so for-
tunate to have you all in their corner! They get to play on outstanding quality instruments every year and discover
a musical path that so many of them would never have the chance to experience otherwise, because of the Hayn
family and all the financial support that everyone has given to our GWA Band Family.
Instruments are hard to come by, especially big instruments, like Tubas, Euphoniums and French Horns, because
they are so expensive, but they are vital to every band program. We are all very grateful for your support and please
know it’s going towards a fantastic group of young people!
Thank you all so very much, Y’all Rock!!!
Please check out our 2022 Marching Band show from November 5th. A third of the instruments being used by the
students during the show are because
of the Ryan Hayn Fund and all of
you!
Here is a YouTube link to paste
in your search bar and then scroll
forward to about 2 minutes and 25
seconds to where the show starts to
skip the set up. Please enjoy and
leave happy comments if you have
some please.

https://youtu.be/Mm1GOOQogbw

(Photo) Christian Smith enthusiasti-

cally directing the GWA Marching
Bulldog Band

Fund Donations Allowed Me Opportunities

(Photo) Blakeney Sewell, GWA
Band Co-Vice President
By Blakeney Sewell I had an instrument to practice on
GWA Band Co-Vice President and perform with.
and Co-Leader Horn Section
I have been in marching band for
five years now and have attended
Greetings to everyone!
several district and Allstate festi-
My name is Blakeney Sewell, and
vals after completing auditions. I
I am a junior at George Walton.
was even a part of the Governor’s
Having a mellophone and a French
Honors Program this past summer
horn provided for me, has al-
on French horn. None of this would
lowed me so many opportunities
have been possible if I didn’t have
to advance my music career. Not
my instruments from the Ryan
only am I able to be a leader in my
Hayn Fund! Thank you so very
marching band as vice president,
much for everything the fund has
but other honor band events be-
done!
came accessible to me all because
 Joining Band Helped Me Develop Many Skills
By Nicole Volk
Drum Major and Head
Woodwind Section Leader
Band has been a massive staple in
my life since elementary school.
Since my best friend’s parents run
the program, and my sister talked
my ear off about it when she joined,
I’ve been surrounded by band,
band, band. Joining the program
myself in 5th grade has got to be
one of the best decisions I’ve ever
made. It’s made me into an All-
State clarinet player, while also
helped me develop skills like time
management, leadership, team-
work, self-motivation, and how to
effectively mentor others.
Passion, Love and Appreciation for Music Aided by Fund
(Photo) Michael Mealor marching with the GWA Band at half-time
This year, I became the Drum
Major of the marching band, and
it’s been quite the change of routine.
Instead of standing on the field and
watching as someone else leads
breathing, warmups, and rehears-
als, I am on the podium as the
head of the band and taking on all
of these new responsibilities. This
position has been, and continues to
be, a learning experience filled with
stress as well as overwhelming ex-
citement, joy, and pride! The band
means the world to me, and I’m so
proud to be leading it and watching
the members grow and develop
alongside me.
(Photo) Nicole Volk prepares for a
great game and performance
By Michael Mealor
Junior Tuba Section Leader
and Co-Vice President
To me, the George Walton Acade-
my Band has been one of the most
influential things in my life, and
simultaneously, as a tuba player, so
has the Ryan Hayn Fund.
For my entire career in the band, I
have had access to instruments and
equipment that I am ever grateful
for, and that a normal high school
band would never be able to ac-
quire. Because of this access I have
developed a lifelong passion, love,
and appreciation for music that
never would have been possible
otherwise.
Thank you all so very much!
 Fund Started My Musical Career
By Philip Mashburn play on now, the marching horn I
Top Dawg Band Sergeant and use is still a Hayn Fund instrument.
These instruments have helped us
Co-Low Brass Section Leader
become the well-known musical
machine that we are today!
The Hayn Fund essentially start-
ed my musical career. I’ve always
Thank you so much for everything
played on a Hayn Fund instrument,
all those out there have done for me
all the way from when I began in
and our program!
5th grade band up to now in my
senior year. Without these instru-
Photo (below): Philip Mashburn
ments, I don’t think it would have
playing with the GWA Band
been possible for me to begin and
continue music throughout middle
Photo (right): Philip Mashburn in
and high school. Even though I
the GWA stands
own my concert instrument that I

UGA VS GT means
Band Meetup!
(Photo) Former GWA color guard
members Lydia Akin (left) and
Julia Cato (right) meet at the
University of Georgia vs. Georgia
Institute of Technology rivalry
football matchup Nov. 26, 2022.
Akin was also a GWA Drum Major,
as well as a clarinet player in the
symphonic winds band; she is now
a senior at UGA and a member of
the UGA flag line. Cato is a former
flute player in the GWA symphonic
winds band and is now a sopho-
more at Georgia Tech, and a mem-
ber of the flag line.
The Ryan A. Hayn Memorial Fund
is pleased to offer our supporters
an easy way to help our charity.
With every purchase you make at
Amazon.com, a portion of the pro-
ceeds can support Ryan’s Fund.
Every time you make a purchase
on Amazon (including Amazon
Prime), Amazon will donate 0.5%
of your eligible Amazon purchase
cost to Ryan’s Fund. The prices
you’ll pay are exactly the same.
Please remember to designate the
Ryan A. Hayn Memorial Fund as
your favorite charity on Amazon
Smile and help us raise more funds
through your purchases!