It's on life support..and that's where you come in. Forget monitary donations. If you can play and sing get involved! Folk music was traditionally a way of teaching and entertaining. We all seem to be lamenting what the schools are doing, but what are we doing about it? The cure to this malady is involvement! Check with your local schools and see what they are teaching. See if they will allow you to come in and perform traditional pieces that are part of curriculum that they are teaching. "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" comes to mind. Many of the pieces of folk music are "public domain" (here in the states) and so can be easily gotten and reproduced without much hassle. To counter the "we have no money for instruments" argument you can either have students make their own instruments or use the many plans that abound on the internet for the creation of instruments. PVC piping can be used to make cheap flutes, whistles, percussion and other instruments. Look what the Blue Man group does with it! It can be personalized (always a plus among students) without damage to the instruments. to counter the "we don't have the time" argument, hold sessions during lunch or recess (if it exists)or even after school (at least you'll get some of the kids and you'll be performing a vital public service for working parents).

Get involved! Don't let the Music die!

(Thanks to Kaleea, Tooligan, and Nicole C for the inspiration o this thread!)