Shawnee High School’s marching band has had a lot of recent success, winning the state championship for the division the last three years.
However, the price for fielding a competitive squad has been an obstacle.
Because of budget cuts in recent years by the Lenape Regional High School District, the marching band has had to come up with alternative ways to fund necessities such as equipment and uniforms.
Helping to keep the band moving forward is the Shawnee Band Parents Association.
The group annually runs fundraisers with the proceeds going to band expenses. The next fundraiser is the spring Craft and Gift Fair on March 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the high school.
Events such as the fair are essential to keep the band going, according to Heather Caldwell, a member of the association.
“You learn to make due and you do your best with your money and your funds,” Caldwell said. “There have definitely been cuts, and it puts the burden of the fundraising on us.”
Caldwell says the district funds enough money to pay the band director and assistant director. The parents association raises money to pay other band personnel, as well as for the trailer used to carry equipment to the various shows.
The cost of fielding a band makes events like next week’s craft fair so crucial. About 100 vendors are expected to attend the fair to sell their products. Caldwell said they get vendors from both the surrounding area as well as from other parts of the state.
“The vendors tell us that they love our fairs. It is one of the best ones they do each year,” Caldwell said. “People can find anything, from jewelry to spring decoration to outdoor garden things.”
In addition, vendors donate some of their products to the association to be auctioned off in gift baskets. The baskets are separate from the fair, with those proceeds going toward a scholarship fund for band members.
An event like the fair is not all on the parents to organize. Band members are asked to help their parents in some way with the event.
“Some kids set up the tables on Friday,” Caldwell said. “Some show up in the morning on Saturday and help set up the tables.”
Caldwell views things from a different perspective than other parents, because she participated in the marching band when she attended Shawnee. Today, she said the band is involved in so many more events.
“I was in the band in Shawnee at high school, and we just marched at the football games,” she said. “I was at the first parents meeting and my mouth dropped open. I couldn’t believe these competitions.”
Because of the efforts of the band members and parents, Caldwell hopes Shawnee will continue its recent winning tradition well into the future.
