Four years ago, we had a simple idea: original music deserves a place where people actually listen.

Since then, this idea has turned into hundreds of shows, thousands of songs played for the first time, open mic nights where somebody's hands shook on the way to the stage, and lessons where a new musician found out what their own voice sounds like.

This summer, three kids went to rock camp on full scholarships through our Will Minster Scholarship Fund. Their parents sat in this room and watched them play. That's what four years built.

Now we're asking a bigger question: what could forty build?

The Next 40 Years is our commitment to make sure the answer isn't left to chance. Every dollar raised goes to the Will Minster Scholarship Fund, putting instruments in hands, kids in camps, and students in lessons, regardless of what their families can afford.

About Will

The fund is named in memory of Will Minster: beloved mentor, small business champion, and tireless advocate for his community in Delaware. As the fourth-generation owner of Minster's Jewelers, a leader in downtown revitalization, and director of Launcher Business Resources at West End Neighborhood House, Will spent his life lifting others, empowering hundreds of entrepreneurs, especially in underserved communities, to build their futures with confidence.

Known as the "unofficial Mayor of Wilmington," Will believed deeply in the possibility inside every person, no matter their background or circumstance. He lived that belief with courage and generosity that touched everyone who met him.

This scholarship carries his legacy forward: opening the door for people to learn, grow, and find their voice, and making sure his passion for community lives on at The Listening Booth.

The Goal

$14,000 by September 13 (a nod to turning 4 — and we're already on our way).

$40 — the signature gift. $40 for the next 40 years. Covers one 30-minute lesson to anyone of any ability and any age to learn.

$700 — sends one kid to rock camp for two weeks

$40/month — joins The 40 Club, our circle of sustaining supporters keeping scholarships funded year after year

The Founding 40

The first 40 donors before midnight on August 13 — our fourth birthday — become The Founding 40, permanently recognized on this page as the people who believed in the next 40 years first.

The Next 40 Years

Building the Future of The Listening Booth Community