SWANNANOA, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The grassroots music radio program WoodSongs will be at Warren Wilson College this weekend to hand out hundreds of free instruments.

The first-come, first-served instrument giveaway will begin at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 9 at Warren Wilson College.

WoodSongs will hand out instruments to “anyone who gets in line,” their website advertised. This includes “schools, students, parents, home school families, teachers, college music departments, private instructors… even churches and community groups are welcome.”

The breadth of instruments that WoodSongs will have available were collected from 36 drop-off locations from all over Appalachia, from Cincinnati, Ohio to Johnson City, Tennessee.

The project was organized by Kentucky folksinger Michael Johnathon, host of WoodSongs.

“The music community is wonderful and giving, and those affected by the storms of Helene want to restore music to the front porches washed away by the floods,” Johnathon said in a press release. “The music of this region is the soundtrack of rural America. We want to help them.”

WoodSongs is broadcast in Asheville at 8 p.m. Sunday nights on 98.1 The River, an FM radio station.

The River program and music director Jordan Coppinger explained what attracted Johnathon’s attention to the region.

“He has artists in and musicians in weekly to record and talk about their music. A lot of it is bluegrass or the sound of Appalachia, which is why this event coming up is so important to him and to us, because he really embraces Appalachian music,” Coppinger said. “He obviously saw what happened to us with Hurricane Helene in the fall, and is embracing the generosity of others and collecting instruments for the musicians here, who may have lost their livelihood or may have lost instruments in the flooding.”

However, Coppinger was sure to reiterate that the instrument giveaway is not just for impacted career musicians.

“These are instruments like a mandolin, guitars, flutes. He’s even got a hammered dulcimer that he’s bringing. Any kind of instrument for anybody,” Coppinger said. “So, if you’re learning how to play, you can get an instrument. If you’re already an established musicians, you know, maybe you want to expand what you have.”

Johnathon sees the giveaway as more than a mere musical connection.

“This is more than just a good thing to do, it is important,” Johnathon said in the press release. “Love is the greatest transaction of the arts and this is a chance to show it.”

Contributions for the giveaway are also being accepted to help cover the cost of refurbishing instruments and renting trucks to deliver them. Checks should be made payable to “WoodSongs” and mailed to Helene, P.O. Box 200, Lexington, KY 40588. Digital payments can be made via PayPal, radio@woodsongs.com.

For more information, visit www.woodsongs.com/music.