Community steps up to fund CHS trip

PALMER — It’s official. The Colony High School marching band is going to Washington, D.C.

After receiving donations and raising money in the 11th hour, the band will respectfully decline any funding from the Mat-Su Borough School Board to help it get to the Jan. 20 Inauguration, according to a letter provided to the Frontiersman.

Lynn Gattis, secretary of the Knights Music Boosters, a group that raises money for the band, says in the letter that the band has almost reached its financial goal for the inaugural parade.

“We owe this success to the hard-working parents and students, and the generosity of fellow Alaskans and friends across the country,” she says.

On Wednesday, director Jamin Burton said the band raised nearly $17,000 from a spaghetti dinner, silent auction and donations from the Mat-Su Health Foundation, the city of Palmer and the Rasmussen Foundation.

Palmer City Manager Bill Allen said the city gave $1,000 from its marketing fund.

“It’s national exposure on TV for Palmer for $1,000,” Allen said. “Pretty cheap, huh.”

That’s not the only reason Allen said the city decided to help the band out, admitting to getting a bit choked up when the band showed its appreciation for the money Tuesday evening.

He cited the honor of being chosen to come all the way from Alaska to play in Washington.

“I told those kids ‘you make sure you let those folks know where you’re from,’” Allen said.

Elizabeth Ripley, executive director of the Mat-Su Health Foundation, said the organization gave $10,000 to the band.

The grant was given by board members, who are each allowed to give up to $2,000 per year to 501(c)3s of their choice. Those grants, which Ripley called a perk of being on the board, can fall outside the board’s typical grant guidelines.

Ripley said helping the students go to Washington is also helping the community as a whole.

“It was an example of community building,” she said. “We’re very happy for these kids.”

The Rasmussen Foundation gave $2,000 dollars, Allen said.

Now that the band has enough money it can afford plane tickets, bus costs and food, Burton said.

The upshot in fundraising also effectively eliminates the need to ask the school board to help fund the band, an issue that’s split the community in recent days.

The band asked for $15,000 last week during a special meeting called by Board President Jim Colver.

But after a strong turnout during the fundraiser Tuesday and surprise donations, the band is in the black financially.

“I’ve never seen anything like last night,” Burton said, referring to the spaghetti dinner at the Palmer Elks Lodge.

Burton said the line was out the door for the event, and every seat in the lodge was full.

“We have enough money to go and we’re going to be OK,” Burton said.

Because of the recent good news for the band, school board officials said Wednesday a measure to put funding the trip back on the agenda wasn’t needed.

Board member Brian Sullivan, who put the request-for-renewal on the agenda, said he’s happy the band has enough money to make the trip.

“Going to D.C. for me was a life changing experience,” Sullivan said.

When news the board was considering a financial contribution to the band, supporters and critics turned out for a special meeting last week.

Supporters argued the money was a good idea given the significance of playing at President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration. Critics, however, said the board was on a slippery slope, and by giving funds to the band would open a spigot to a flood of monetary requests from other student groups.

Funding for the band was denied last week after the board voted 3-3 on the issue. Without a majority, the vote failed.

If the issue were put back on the ballot Wednesday, it likely would have passed because Sullivan supported the proposal. If all other board members voted the same way, the vote would have swung 4-3 in favor of the band’s request.

That won’t have to happen now, and Burton said he’s indebted and impressed with the community’s help. “It was incredible.”

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.