Spring Break
High notes
Marching band membership booms despite lowest budget in WIAC
Mark Schaaf
Issue date: 9/26/05 Section: Campus News
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Numerous marching festivals, parades and an NFL game later, that number swelled to 171, making the Blugold marching band the largest unit among all WIAC schools.
Senior Phil Snyder, lead coordinator of drill and marching fundamentals and a trumpet player, said the band's growth has been "truly remarkable."
"It's really kind of neat to watch it happen every year," Snyder said. "It's a blast to be in the band and you'll see all the performers in the band have a great time."
However, with the increase in numbers comes an increased demand for money, which is used to fund items such as new instruments and travel costs.
Despite being the largest band in the WIAC, it has the conference's lowest budget, according to a letter from band director Randy Dickerson to Student Senate.
He wrote that the smallest marching band budget among WIAC schools is $20,000. Eau Claire's operates on $2,500 per year.
"This is why we have no travel money," he said.
Student Senate voted unanimously Sept. 19 to give the band $3,000 in student segregated fees for its trip Saturday to Greendale, a suburb of Milwaukee, as well as for future transportation costs.
The band will perform in front of thousands at Greendale High School as part of an exhibition for high school students. It also hopes to use the performance as a recruiting tool for would-be Blugolds.
Finance Commission director Ray French said the band came to Student Senate asking for the funds late last year. The money comes out of a fund designated for situations that arise during the year.
"They were just very deserving, and it's a great opportunity for them to get out to Milwaukee area," French said. "They've grown quite extensively over the past five years and this is ... a chance for the name to get out and show what our music department is about to this part of the state."