Taylor Swift Autographed Guitar Made a Special Holiday Gift

Thirteen-year-old Eliana Musser certainly did not have a Taylor Swift autographed guitar on her Christmas list, so you can imagine her delight when that’s exactly what she found under the tree at her grandmother Carol Musser’s home.  Carol had purchased the maximum five tickets for the guitar raffle after her long-time friend Donaileen Dondero alerted her to the fund riser.

Eliana is home schooled by her mother Anita who is also a dental hygienist.  The teenager loves singing, theater, and dancing with the New Motion Dance Center team that performed at the Navy women’s basketball game half time on January 8.  She sings with the Greensboro Christian Co-op chorus and builds her acting skills with the Kent Island High School summer camp.

For now, Eliana wants her prized guitar to remain pristine, so her father Kurt is building a protective case to hang on the wall.   Kurt says he got most of his building skills from his father Larry, but he has added a new one–welding, which will be part of the lighted case.  In his professional life, Kurt uses his masters in nursing and computer expertise to develop programs for kidney specialists.  Kurt is also a musician and has several guitars that Eliana can use to learn the instrument. 

As for Grammy Carol, she is as excited as her grand daughter about winning the GiGi’s Playhouse Annapolis raffle.  Carol is retired from Southern Delaware Physical Therapy (which became Pilot Physical Therapy) where her organizational skills and work ethic drove her professional career.  She has three adult children and six grand children, with a great grandchild on the way.  Carol previously had a home-based business and was the creator of the wedding cake for GiGi participant Sharon Dondero’s brother, the baptism cake for Sharon’s nephew, and Sharon’s graduation cake.

Watch for information about an original welded sculpture by Kurt Musser to be auctioned at the 2026 GiGi gala.