Community Rallies For Mel Gee

<p><a href="mailto:stephanlj@interlochen.org"><em>By Linda Stephan</em></a></p> <p class="NewsCopy">The Traverse City community is rallying behind a longstanding advocate for local school music programs and a fixture with the National Cherry Festival.</p> <p class="NewsCopy">Mel Gee entered Munson Hospice House yesterday. He has no immediate family and he only has enough money for one week of hospice care, according to a member of First Congregational Church.</p> <p class="NewsCopy">The church is accepting donations on Gee's behalf. Money he doesn't need for care will go into a music scholarship. The amount raised in the first 24 hours is not immediately available, but an <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/419239441441761/420069688025403/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity" target="_blank">event</a> on Facebook calling for donations and offering public updates on Gee's condition has gone viral.</p> <p class="NewsCopy">Mel Gee is 85. Church member Marlene Speelman is writing public updates on Gee's condition <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/419239441441761/420069688025403/?ref=notif&notif_t=plan_mall_activity" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>