I just walked in the door from a really cool event! It makes me smile to think of just how lucky the Broadway Bands (both JFH and BHS) are, to have the community support that we do. Beards and Broads sponsored a benefit tonight, to support the BHS/JFH Band Boosters. The food was great and the atmosphere was fun, but the best part was the gathering of the people. Sure, there were lots of Band parents, high school and middle school Band members and Band alumni (love that), along with our regular bus drivers, and many friends and neighbors of Band members too. I sat with a senior Band mom who is already planning to remain a Band Booster next year, despite that graduation thing that is looming in the Spring for her son. Gobbler Grill has done similar events for the Band Boosters many times over the years, and even have a vintage BHS Band uniform on display in the restaurant. Gobbler Grill owner Colby Mongold is a BHS Band Alumni, a former Band president and winner of the John Phillip Sousa award; he is always willing to support the Bands.
When we ask for help with a project, event, fundraiser or with feeding the fifty marching Band members on Friday nights before football games, we have received help not only from both of these local restaurants, but also from many other businesses in the community, including Cave’s Trucking, Blue Ribbon Nursery, Simple Thymes, JJ’s, the Lions Club, Northern Rockingham Stewards, and the Ruritans. Subway and Italian Touch have sponsored meals for judges during VBODA Assessment, and both are favorite gathering spots for Band members when there is an hour or so between afternoon practice and an evening ball game or Booster meeting. El Ranchero has hosted more than a few Band Director planning meetings; Dominoes has also done fundraiser nights
This time last year, Band Boosters hosted “Band and FFA Homecoming”, because the Band and FFA members were out of town and working hard, doing what they love the most on the day of the actual Homecoming event. The kids had a blast at their own private event, the way they always do; they made the most of what they had, through friendship and shared history. Band kids seem to always share laughter, even in the heat, the cold, the rain and in the wee hours of a long competition day. I enjoyed watching my kid tonight, clowning around with her Band friends at dinner. It made me think of my own friends, most of whom I know through Band, either as a Director, a Band parent, or as a musician even dating back to high school.
As a Band Director, a Band parent, and even back when I was a Band member, Band kids always seem to hang out together outside of rehearsal. I graduated from TA, so our main hangouts “back intha day” were Jim’s Drive In (had the BEST milkshakes), Pizza Hut (Personal Pan!) and Spanky’s. A large group of us decked out in our Band jackets and Band shirts would meet for dinner, often enroute to the Roth 1 2 3 movie theater on South Main, or the 4 Theater at the mall. Several Band members worked at the theaters, so sometimes we had a little more fun than maybe we should have, while we were there. One night in particular that comes to mind during this spooky time of year, involved the first run of “A Nightmare on Elm Street” horror flick. A large group of our Band members met at the Roth 1 2 3, and our usher was one of our Band friends (Alan), who just happened to be wearing a glove with razor fingers similar to Freddy Kruger’s, while he was taking tickets at the door. During the movie, Alan decided that the razor glove needed to be put to good use, so it ended up resting on my shoulder in the middle of that terrifying movie…prompting me to scream blue murder in the middle of the theater –cue the laugh track on that one! It got even better put in the parking lot, when he left that glove on my windshield, and I was afraid to get into my car when it was time to go home. That was an unforgettable night of laughter for all–even for me, once I had calmed down!
Thank you to all who support our Band programs year after year, especially those who participated in our fundraiser tonight, including Beards and Broads for hosting. The darts, the axes and the air hockey will be fun memories for sure! (Especially the air hockey—but for that memory, I guess you had to be there…right Aiden? :o)
