Nicole Cameron can breathe a little easier now that her stolen sheet music has been recovered.
“I am feeling unbelievable relief,” she began. “The music is something the SwingSations band could not have replaced in its entirety. To have it back safe and sound so the band can continue to entertain the community is wonderful,” Cameron said.
“It’s so heartwarming, after something so terrible, to be reminded that there are still so many good people in our community.”
The story started last Sunday when a saxophone on-borrow from the Trail After School Band, and folders of vintage music, were lifted from the trunk of Cameron’s car, which was parked in the driveway of her West Trail home.
Cameron immediately put a call into the Trail Times to ask for help in recovering the irreplaceable music as well as the instrument, and she posted information about the theft on social media.
By mid-week the SwingSations band was offering a $100 reward, with conductor Clark White saying he was “just sick” about the loss.
Thankfully, the bag of sheet music was found by a mother and son on Friday, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time.
“It was found at the end of Portland Street,” Cameron explained. “There is a bank there that overlooks the town, and her son has been begging for weeks to go and ‘have a lookout’ on their walk to the school bus. They happened to have extra time that day so she took him.”
On this excursion, the mom spotted a hand-quilted bag, and recalled reading about the theft online.
The woman sent a message to Cameron, who was thrilled to pick up the music later that night.
“It appears to be all there, even the music stand,” she said. “I need to do a final inventory of every single piece of music this afternoon (Monday), but it looks to be intact. Some of it got a little wet, but it’s all still usable.”
And to make the ending even happier, the mother and son were given the band’s reward.
“I also personally gave her son a gift card so he can buy himself something fun for being such a little hero,” Cameron shared.
Unfortunately, there’s been no word on the baritone sax. But Cameron is not giving up that the brass woodwind will also be recovered.
The police have the serial number, and she is vigilant about keeping an eye on buy-and-sell sites.
“I am continuing to keep up hope that it will be found,” Cameron added. “Finding the music has given me some renewed hope that it might be found and returned to the after school band program.”
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