- Raise the funds and order new uniforms by Jan. 2006!
- Forte goal: Raise $21,000 for 80 uniforms (minimum membership growth, size selection)
- Fortissimo goal: Raise $25,000 for 100 uniforms (accomodates more growth, wider size selection)
- Want uniforms in time to march in RB Memorial Day parade (120 day lead time on order)
(The parade is now a little iffy as it is not clear if it will be held this year.)
We made it!!! The new uniforms were ordered Jan. 07 and should arrive in May
Total amount raised: $27,158
Amount over fortissimo goal: $2, 158
Spring Concert, May 25, 7pm, RUHS Auditorium
Please plan to attend!
Contact the RUHS Band Boosters by mail at:
RUHS Band Boosters, 1525 Aviation Blvd. Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Contact the Uniform Committee Chair, Carolyn Lee-Wagner, at [email protected].
Sgt. Brian Wood was killed in Iraq on April 16, 2004. His father, Greg Wood, is using the money received from the United States government to donate to various causes that were important to his son to give even more meaning to his life. Brian played trumpet in the West High School Marching Band and Greg chose to donate $5,000 to the RUHS band uniform fund because he felt Brian would be happy to support a high school band. Greg and his wife Michelle both attended RUHS and their son Thomas Sumner is a Sophomore drummer in our band.
Remarkably, Greg matched another $1,000 during the Holiday Boutique donation "challenge" (see below for more details).
Learn more about Brian:
Brian Wood site
Fallen Heroes site
The band students engaged in a letter writing campaign in mid-December asking friends and relatives to help as we
neared the finish line in meeting our goal. The outpouring of support was amazing as the people listed below
donated for the following students:
Alex Lowe: Douglas & Kathleen Lowe (parents), Muriel Wilson Winter (grandparents)
Alice Wood: Barbara Wood (grandma), Jesse Maciel
Alisha & Russel Sabrowsky: Dietz Brothers Music, Sam Ash Music, Glenn & Jeanette Sabrowsky
Becky Lozado: Fabiola & Vicente Bravo, Sarah Pool
Brittany Eads: Brentt & Julie Eads (Dad & Stepmom), Dorothy & Michael Hanagan, Lola Blackburn (grandma)
Courtney MacGillivray: David MacGillivray
Erik Plantiko: Roger & Barbara Mohs
Jay Jayasiri: Mike Madani
Jeff Thompson: Aline Thompson (grandparents)
Jose Ramos: Jose Ramos (parents)
Kelly Brim: Cromwell & Geraldine Warner (Aunt & Uncle)
Megan Kahn: Barbara Harris(Aunt), Holly & Brent Richards (Aunt & Uncle)
Mike Wassil: Barbara Dayton
Paul & Samantha Rowe, Taylor Bradley: Paul Rowe (grandpa), Dennis & Diana Bradley
Ryan Lee: Lisa Pae (grandma), Young Jin & Diane Kim
Stephanie Yang: Meiying Yang-Halsey & Joseph Halsey, R. Kelly & Ching-Lan Bureker,
Tai Chao Wang &Jo-lan Hsu Wang
Thomas Sumner: Doris Ogilvie (grandma), Kira Seaton
Thomas & Martin Wilson: Christine & Lawrence Berardino, Fred & Sharon Marsee, Mustapha Sesay,
Earl & Katherine Plummer, Jerry Shaw, SCS Engineering, Inc.
Tina Toomata: Joanna Padilla
William Lee-Wagner: Jackie & Thomas LaScola (cousin), John & Diane Dunker (Aunt & Uncle),
Juana Iroz (friend of the family), Kristine Dunker (cousin),
Peggy & Jack Johnson (Aunt & Uncle), Timothy Klement (cousin),
William & Elaine Wagner (grandparents)
Ms. Kerry Riccio (former Guard advisor and Mr. Aguero's partner): Lloyd & Esther Moran (grandparents),
Louis & Janice Demetriou (Aunt & Uncle)
Unknown (these people did not indicate which student they were supporting):
Helen Shaw (Olivera), Stanley Bradford/Maureen Nagle Bradford, Barbara Dalrymple,
Richard & Raquel Dickert
Barbara Tressel, a friend of the Lee-Wagner family, challenged the Uniform Committee at the Holiday Boutique on Dec. 2 to raise $1,000 "on the spot" toward the uniform fund saying she would match that amount if we could do it. Greg Wood upped the ante by announcing he would match another $1,000. Our audience quickly rose to the challenge with the following people donating a total of $1,150 within just a few minutes: Candace Peterson-Kahn, John & Anna Conway, Carolyn & Bill Lee-Wagner, Debbie Thompson, Pat Thompson, Steve Slemmons, Susan Swanson, Marty & Patty Wacks, Harold & Myrna Ford (grandparents of Jeff Thompson & Katie Pulte), Martha Contreres, and Lori & Dwight Sabrowsky. Four of these contributing families don't even have band students as they are Dance Guard parents! Helen Leiss (Lauren Swanson's grandma) donated another $100 soon after the
boutique upon hearing about the band's fundraising efforts from her daughter Susie. Helen has fond memories of her own clarinet playing days for the De Pere High School band in Wisconsin and band "kids" always stick together.
Barbara was inspired to donate after hearing the story of Brian Wood. She also marched with the West HS Band and knows the importance of a band program to high school students. Barbara lost her sister Lorraine Curry to breast cancer in April and I suspect the introspection about what is important in life that occurs after such an event also contributed to her generosity.
Noble Foundation Donates 10 Uniforms ($2,530)
Elizabeth Noble of the Noble Foundation donated 10 uniforms ($2,530). Elizabeth's husband Joe, who died in 1998, was a very successful RUHS graduate and they formed the foundation, which helps the high school in many ways. Steve Slemmons can be thanked for getting us this donation as he talked to Elizabeth about our fundraising efforts at
a UCLA/USC game party on Dec. 3. Elizabeth's generousity is especially amazing given that Steve was rooting for UCLA and Elizabeth is a USC alum.
RUHS Band Boosters 2004-2005 Gift ($4,000)
The RUHS Band Boosters makes one large gift each year and in 2004-2005 they chose to donate $4,000 to the Uniform Fund. (Booster gifts in other recent years include a golf cart and a trailer.)
Transportation Refunds Donated Back ($4,069)
In 2003 and 2004 there was concern that the school board would no longer pay for busses to the field show competitions. To cover for this possible contigency, the field show obligation fee included a transportation fee those years. The school board eventually committed to covering those costs (perhaps infuenced by a couple of school board meetings where the audience was dominated by band and dance guard parents in their red booster shirts). Parents were given the option of a refund or donating the amount back to the unit. $4,069 came into the uniform fund when many parents chose to generously donate their refund; including many parents whose students had already graduated at that point.
Alumni Donations at RUHS 100th Celebration ($670)
We had a band and dance guard table at the big RUHS centennial celebration last June and many band alumni stopped by to reminisce and donate to our uniform fund. The alumni band, that entertained us throughout the day, also kicked in the proceeds from their donation jar.
Rebekahs ($373)
Jo Toomato, our Band Booster President, helped get a $373 donation from the Rebekahs, a philanthropic women's organization.
Other Early Donations ($644)
The following people made donations directed to the uniform fund even before the recent uniform drive began: Debbie Thompson (donated back her 50/50 raffle winnings at Jazz Under the Stars last June), Carolyn & Bill Lee-Wagner, Vicki Stone & Gabriel Berghouse, and the Dombrowskis.