‘Glam the Band’ campaign launched

• Glam the Band

Students in the Woodbury High School Marching Band currently wear matching track jackets during their public appearances. A new fundraising campaign titled “Glam the Band” seeks to raise $60,000 to purchase uniforms for the organization. At right is an example of the new WHS Marching Band uniform. Staff photo by Tom Carothers/ Uniform graphic by the Fruhauf Uniforms company

Talk about it

It’s a musical mission with a message: Help Woodbury High School to “Glam the Band.”

The campaign, which went public last week, aims to raise $60,000 to deck out the 104 members of the high school’s recently resurrected Marching Royals band in uniforms.

The school’s marching band re-formed in 2007 after a number of years of inactivity.

Almost doubling its participants in its second season, which has just finished, the band is now looking to build on its success by purchasing 150 new uniforms, designed by the school’s director of bands, Brent Comeau, and the Fruhauf Uniforms company based out of Wichita, Kan.

“The students were very excited,” said Comeau, referring to the reaction from the band members when he told them of the campaign drive for uniforms.

“The big thing about the uniforms is that although they looked sharp this year — they had track jackets so they had a matching look — it’s not an official marching band uniform.

“To participate in some of the more prestigious opportunities for marching band contests, like the Rose Bowl, it requires an official marching band uniform so this has really opened some doors for us.”

The Glam the Band campaign is being organized by the Royals Band Boosters, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization which has already made strides toward the $60,000 goal.

Boosters president Deb Aamodt said match funding for money raised by the Royals Band Boosters of up to $15,000 had been secured from the Mitsch Family Foundation; Woodbury High School activity director John Soma had pledged $10,000 from the activities fund; and School District 833 had agreed to donate a further $5,000.

“The very first year we were in the [Woodbury Days and other] parades, you could just hear the comments all along the parade route,” said Aamodt,

“People were saying, ‘I didn’t realize Woodbury had a marching band again; this is wonderful.’”

Aamodt got involved with the boosters when her then-ninth grader son joined the marching band last year.

Now, she is convinced that a uniform will help complete the Marching Royals.

“When people think of a marching band, you think of the Rose Bowl parades and other big parades,” she explained.

“They are all wearing very nice uniforms, completed with the hat and so it will give the band more of a classic marching band look.”

A cardboard cutout of a Marching Royal will be stationed in Woodbury High School’s band room, and will be “dressed” as the fundraising campaign edges toward its goal, representing the sums raised so far.

By the end of the first week, committed and match funds had raised enough for some pants to be placed on the cutout. Coat, hat, plume, sash and shoes will follow.

“The students just love the activity,” said Comeau. “We have had lots of comments on how it added to the school spirit overall — comments from the administrators and football parents and coaches and so on.

“The students love watching the games and supporting the teams and love supporting the school spirit. But most of all, they love the activity itself.”

To donate to the Glam the Band campaign, send a check to the Woodbury Royals Band Boosters, Inc., 2665 Woodlane Drive, Woodbury MN 55125 or visit the website www.royalsbandboosters.org/glamtheband.htm, where you can donate via PayPal.

Or drop in to the boosters’ pancake breakfast at Applebees, 10150 Hudson Road, Woodbury, at 8-10 a.m. on Dec. 13.

Tags: news, woodbury, glam, marching, band, royals, uniforms, comeau, fruhauf