Community effort helps one Ohio Marching Band get to the Tournament of Roses Parade
A generous effort by members of the community has helped give 35 members of the Ohio State School for the Blind Marching Band the opportunity to perform at the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade, which takes place Friday, Jan. 1, 2010, in Pasadena, Calif.“The Ohio State School for the Blind has an all blind marching band, in fact, it’s the only blind marching band in the United States,” said Brian Dodd, West Holmes High School (WHHS) Marching Band director. “They have been invited to perform at the Rose Bowl this year, the smallest band to ever perform there. We saw a news story on it and they were so excited at the fact they were going to go.”
Since the band is so excited to go and their entire school is helping them get to Pasadena, members of the WHHS Marching Band felt they needed to help in some way. The band discussed it, and despite never charging admission to music concerts, they finally decided to ask for donations during the Marching Band Review and Light Show held Nov. 5. At the end of the evening, $725 had been collected.
“Our expectation was to raise about $200, because it was for a notable cause and they are musicians,” Dodd said. “I was flabbergasted. It was amazing that much money came in. This community never ceases to amaze me. They support good causes and they are all just good people.”
On Dec. 7, Dodd took the check to the Ohio State School for the Blind and presented it to Cynthia McQueen Johnson, the school superintendent.
“She said she could not believe the support of the community for something like this, especially in the economic times,” Dodd said. “Basically, people in Holmes County know what is right and they know that kids supporting any kids or a charitable cause is worthwhile. We had enough people at the concert, so everybody chipped in a little bit and with everybody doing their part we made a huge difference. Don’t underestimate the power of everybody doing a little.”
WHHS Marching Band members were pleased that they could use their talents to help raise money for such a good cause and help support another band.
“There are things that you do because they are the right things and this is one of them,” Dodd said. “It’s their talents now enabling somebody else to use their talents and that’s what’s so cool about it and they are proud of it for that reason.”
The Tournament of Roses Parade is a two-hour, five and a half mile long parade of floral floats, marching bands from around the nation and high-stepping equestrians held on New Year’s Day. The parade is broadcast throughout the country and in more than 200 international territories and countries.