As some school budgets shrink and music programs struggle, a Broomfield instrument repair shop is staging an annual holiday giveaway to keep students playing.Brian Stevenson, co-owner of Rocky Mountain Music Repair, is preparing to host the sixth annual School Secret Santa event on December 18. Visiting music teachers from across the Front Range will receive $10,000 in fake money that they can use to bid on repaired instruments and supplies donated by the community. Teachers bid live on items cataloged by the shop and Stevenson serves as auctioneer until everything is gone. Our passion is getting the kids good instruments, he said. We realized over time that if they have an instrument thats broken when they start, theres no way theyre going to continue with music.What began as an impulsive, two-week effort during COVID-19 grew quickly. The first year they gave away roughly $15,000 in gear. Last year, Rocky Mountain Music Repair distributed about $180,000 worth of items, including 81 instruments to 32 schools.Deanna Stevenson, co-owner of the shop and Brians wife, is responsible for cataloging all the items so that teachers know what is available. It honestly feels better than our personal Christmas, she said. There are just so many, not only schools that we're helping, but kids. Getting these instruments fixed up will help multiple students over multiple decades.Brian said the greatest need now is sponsorship for repair work, and that they will only give out items that play perfect for the children. The shop itself covers as much of the repair costs it can, but many donations still require shop work and individual instrument repairs can run several hundred dollars.If you would like to donate items or money for instrument repairs you can do so in-store at 2150 W 6th Ave., Broomfield, CO 80020, or you can donate online here. ...read more read less