David Rodeback's Blog

Monday, November 9, 2009

AFHS Marching Band: Regional Champions Raising Money in a Hurry for Nationals

If I were a betting man, I think I'd bet that they can do it, too, even if the amount is about $250,000 and the deadline is approximately tomorrow.

In deference to the Local in LocalCommentary.com, I'm deferring thoughts about the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's destruction and also the US House of Representatives' Saturday passage of ObamaCare to other days. Our topic today is less momentous than these two themes, but it's also time-sensitive.

According to published reports, including the Salt Lake Tribune's, the American Fork High School Marching Band took state on Friday and won its eight-state region on Saturday. Now they're invited to the national championship in Indiana this weekend, subject to their ability to raise about $250,000 for travel expenses in -- get this -- about two days.

There was a text-message campaign among students last evening, urging them to bring donations to school today; reportedly, donations totaled about $25,000 last night, and by noon today the total was about $50,000. Larger donors are being sought, and small donations are still most welcome. Unconfirmed reports say that donations need to be received and counted before tomorrow (Tuesday) evening's Alpine School Board meeting. (At this point, I don't know whether the board would simply be considering allowing the band to go, or whether they could ante up some discretionary funds, too.)

I have seen inquiries on Facebook about the possibility of online or credit card donations, as alternatives to delivering donations in person to American Fork High School, but I have no answers other than this: call the Alpine Foundation at 801-756-8425 or the band at (801) 756-7482.

I myself have not yet had a child in the band, but I'm a fan, and I'm eager to do my small part. Here's what I've found to do so far -- which I mention only to suggest that you may wish to do similar things.

• A small donation went to school today from the Rodeback household. (I wish it could have been larger; alas, I have more words than dollars at my disposal.)
• To help spread the word, I've invited local Facebook friends to join this related group.
• I've mentioned the effort to a few habitually generous donors I know in the community.
• I'm trying to collect more complete information, so I can spread it around.
• I'm blogging about it, as you see.

Others are doing more, I'm sure, but one does what one can. This brings me to a pair of questions: What can you do? Whom can you tell? I'm thinking, the more, the merrier -- and the sooner, the better.

While we're still on the subject of American Fork High School Marching Band, here's a nice story from Idaho, in the aftermath of last month's tragedy.

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