Reuben Pali welcomes music students to MaMuMi Music Studio at 252 Lahainaluna Road.

LAHAINA – Maui Music Mission in recent years has grown from a handful of keiki playing ukuleles in the park to a full-time after-school club.

With spring and summer camps as well as personal lessons and small groups, the mission has served more than 100 keiki in the past year alone.

Now they have a home, MaMuMi Music Studio, at 252 Lahainaluna Road in the old Visitors Information Center.

“We’re grateful to have a permanent place where our customers can find us easily. Up until now, we’ve been mobile, sponsored by our various host facilities,” explained Reuben Pali, who leads the mission with wife Ronda.

“Now there’s flexibility in the schedule and great introductory deals that you can take advantage of.”

If you’ve always wanted to play a musical instrument, now’s your chance. Personal music lessons are being offered to all ages, and you can get started for just $10.

Instrument Boot Camps are one of the new offerings. Students meet for five consecutive days to establish strong fundamentals for beginners. Each day, students practice with an instructor for one hour and then on their own at home.

After the first lessons, keiki will be ready to play some songs. The five lessons cost $50.

According to the couple, Lahaina is a music town with star artists and venues featuring a wide variety of music and performing arts.

The area has not had a consistent offering of music education at the public grade school level, however, and the education system doesn’t grasp the impacts of music on students’ development.

Reuben believes learning to play music “causes our brains to ‘wake-up’ in areas” that are not typically used.

It improves coordination, memory and emotional response, no matter what age you start.

“Of course, kids get the biggest charge out of musical activities because they are still growing! Music makes connections happen within the brain that increase the child’s ability to perceive and retain information. This comprehensive gain opens pathways to new thoughts, ideas and hopes,” he noted.

The goal of MMM is “Inspiring Hope Through Music.”

“Hope is something that we find when our senses are awakened. When we are involved in something that is greater than all of its individual parts, we realize there’s more to life than what we see. Hope exists there,” said Ronda.

Maui Music Mission is currently preparing for its Summer Spirit Music Camp at Lahaina Christian Fellowship in Kahana.

The camp is funded solely through donations, and families pay what they can afford to participate.

Financial sponsors can make donations for Spirit Music Camp online at www.gofundme.com/Spirit-Music-Camp-2017. This year, LCF will provide a tax-deductible receipt to those who provide food and goods for the event. “We are accepting donations of musical/inspirational-themed prizes and incentives, as well as prepared meals and groceries,” Reuben explained.

Camp hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays from June 5-15, 2017. For more information, contact Maui Music Mission at (808) 463-7856 or visit www.mauimusicmission.com.