Thieves steal guitars meant to help kids with challenges

Two guitars worth hundreds of dollars were taken from a stolen car Friday, but it’s not their value the owner is upset about. It’s about who they were meant to help.

John Catt is the founder of Blue Star Connection. The organization donates musical instruments to kids, teens and young adults coping with cancer and other challenges.

“We call it the cure for the cure, because we’re helping them feel better and give them something to look forward to,” Catt said. “If you can get them to feeling better, they’ll respond better to the treatments.”

Last Friday, someone stole his car from a Colorado Springs hotel parking lot. It later showed up in Pueblo, but many things that had been in the car were missing. Catt had two electric guitars and three cigar-box guitars made by fifth graders, in the car. One was made by a girl helped by the organization, and that’s the one Catt is most upset about.

He was taking the guitars to a concert at Stargazers Theatre to raise awareness and money for the organization. He said the theft is a minor setback, but it’s not stopping him.

“We’re just going to move on, pick up the pieces and there’s just nothing you can really do other than that,” he said.

The pieces are already starting to come together. Several people have contacted Catt and offered to make donations.

If you’d like to make a donation or know of someone who would benefit from a musical instrument, visit www.bluestarconnection.org