(Paula O’Moore, guidance counselor at The Gwendoline N. Alleyne School, PS 152 in Queens, sent the following letter to Vice-President Erwin Price in April, describing the wonderful contribution made by 802 member Sean Lyons and his quartet, during an MPTF concert on April 24. The group includes Sean Lyons (tenor sax, flute, clarinet), Gregory Skaff (guitar, percussion), Paul Gill (bass, percussion) and Mark Taylor (drums, percussion).

Thanks once again for sending us this wonderful concert. You always send us the best! Sean Lyons and the group were so lively and engaged the audience so well, at one point even seasoned, retirement-ready teachers were up dancing! It was quite a sight.

However, the best part took place very quietly, with just a few people watching.

As the classes were leaving after the first concert, a second-grade teacher asked Sean if one of her students could come up to feel the instruments. The little boy she meant is completely blind and a sweetheart.

Sean and the other men welcomed Christian up on stage. Each man allowed him to feel the instruments and even moved Christian’s hand over the various parts of the instruments as they explained how each one worked. Each man was patient and open and careful with Christian. They were so generous and spent so much time with him that finally I had to end it so we could get the next concert started.

All of us who work with Christian had tears in our eyes, though the smile never left his face. It was a beautiful, touching experience, one of the best moments of my career. I wish I could give each one of those fantastic men a special humanitarian award for kindness. The Sean Lyons Quartet are excellent musicians, and superlative human beings.

I can’t thank you enough for sending those wonderful people to our school. I hope you will be able to send a copy of this letter to Sean so that he and the other men will know how deeply their kindness was appreciated.