GREEN COVE SPRINGS – Every time Paul Wane shared the magic of giving a child a new musical instrument Sunday, he followed the gesture with the same welcoming words:

“Welcome to the family.”

Becoming a “Rising Star” as part of his Guitar for Kids nonprofit is a lifetime distinction. It makes a child different than any other, Wane said, because it allows for self-expression without limits, apologies or explanations.

“Don't let anyone tell you you're not playing it, right,” Wane told new Rising Star, Reid, after giving him a new guitar. “They don't hear what you hear. You understand? You play your song. Okay? Love this. You go have fun. Go out and rock. Welcome to the family.”

The Rising Stars: Guitars for Kids program welcomed 22 more young musicians into its inner circle Sunday. In the past five years, Paul, Lisa and guitar builder Jay Murphy of Keystone Heights have gifted nearly 500 instruments to children and adults with challenges throughout Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia to give them a platform to showcase their talents and bring their dreams to reality.

One of the highlights was a performance by the Shopping Mall Guerillas, a four-member band of Keystone Heights students. Many of the members started as Rising Stars.

“The thing I want is to get kids off the couch, to put the computer games down and get off the computer,” Wane said. “I want to give kids a better option to some of the bad choices they face.”

Wane and wife Lisa Yarbrough hosted their fourth annual Rockin’ for Stockins’ Sunday at The Boogerville Hideout to expand their Rising Star family, hand out instruments and toys to children ahead of Christmas and thank the community for another year of support.

Every child received a bag of toys, each containing a harmonica and ukulele. They were also treated to a photo with Santa, games, and an opportunity to build crafts at Santa’s workshop, play in bounce houses, enjoy a free meal, win toys in raffles and have their faces painted. Some went home with bigger toys, like bicycles, in blind drawings.

“It’s all about kids having something to unwrap on Christmas morning and making new musicians,” Wane said.

Wane said a woman from St. Augustine donated 32 classic guitars her late husband collected. Some of those were passed along to new Rising Stars on Sunday.

“We gave out 17 of those guitars,” he said.

One of them went to Gavin.

“Gavin, he likes rock and roll, but he likes a little flat-picking,” Wane said. “He likes to play little bluegrass. He likes to have a good time and play all kinds of music. When I opened this case and saw this guitar that Miss Loretta donated out of St Augustine, I thought there's got to be a special young person for this one.

“Stevie Ray Vaughn carried three Stratocasters and one Danelectro as a backup. It was his weapon of choice. Guess what's in this bag, dude?

This is the real deal. That guitar will play as dirty and ugly as you want, and it'll clean up and play as nice as Chet Atkins could ever ask you to. It is a fantastic instrument.

“You take good care of it, you write your songs, you play the way you hear it. You don't let anybody tell you you're not playing right. Okay?

“Welcome to the family.”