Boosters raise money for band

MARYSVILLE — The Marysville-Pilchuck High School Band is hoping to perform in the Magic Kingdom, but they’ll need to raise some funds in order to get there.

The Marysville Band Booster Association is inviting the community to attend a dinner and silent auction, Feb. 6, at 6 p.m., in the Totem Middle School cafeteria, to support the M-PHS Band’s planned trip to Disneyland, from March 30 through April 3.

Nicky Alonso, co-vice president of the Band Boosters, explained that the cost of the trip averages out to $675 per student and while the students and families themselves have already managed to raise half the total amount to fund their trip, they could still use a helping hand. To that end, dinner tickets are available in advance for $25 per adult and $15 per child 12 years or younger, and can be purchased at the door for $30 per adult and $20 per child. In addition to serving a prime-rib dinner cooked by Alonso and his fellow Band Booster dads, the event will auction off items ranging from a car to an overnight stay at the Tulalip Resort Hotel and Casino. Some of the most popular auction items include 2002 Ford Crown Victoria, one-week stay in Kauai condo, and native artwork by James Madison.

In return, the M-PHS Band will not only get to perform in public marching parades at Disneyland for three days in a row, but they’ll also have clinics and recording sessions with professional Disney musicians. As soon as they get off the plane on their first day of the trip, the M-PHS Band will head directly to Camp Pendleton to perform for the U.S. Marine Corps.

“This is our first big trip in a few years,” Alonso said. “We’d talked about going to Hawaii a while ago, but with the economy the way it’s been, we figured it would be less expensive and more fun for the kids if we went to Disneyland. It’s a chance for them to participate in something different. These kids have done so many parades and shows, and they’ve exceeded all our expectations. This year especially, they’ve really proven that they can do it.”

The deadline to order tickets is Jan. 22, and checks should be made payable to M-PHS Band Boosters, at P.O. Box 1684, Marysville, WA 98270. For more information, contact Band Booster Co-Vice President Roxanne Standiford by phone at 360-653-4048, or via e-mail at rstandiford@yahoo.com.

Contact Marysville Globe Reporter Kirk Boxleitner at kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com or 360-659-1300 Ext. 5052.

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