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Washington band trip a notable reward for Cloverdale group
CLOVERDALE -- The word is out about the Cloverdale High School Marching Band.
From Indianapolis to Martinsville to Cincinnati, the band has been entertaining spectators with its high-energy performances.
And now they've even taken note of the band's efforts in Washington, D.C., where the Clovers have been invited to march in the National Independence Day Parade next July 4.
"It kind of came out of the blue," CHS Band Director Bill Cole said of the invitation for the 60-member unit to perform in the nation's capital.
"We've participated as a parade band at Kings Island, the Indy 500 race, Carmel's Independence Day Parade, the Martinsville Fall Festival and the Cloverdale Christmas Parade," Cole said.
"And Congressman (Todd) Rokita or someone on his staff saw us, apparently liked what they saw and extended us the invitation," the veteran band director added.
So now the Cloverdale band and its boosters are trying to figure out logistics, make fundraising arrangements and secure support from local businesses for the July trip to D.C. Also to be determined is how many of the band members will make the trip.
In order to maximize expenses, plans likely call for the group to eat supper together in Cloverdale and board a charter bus afterward to make an overnight journey to Washington.
The Cloverdale band will march on July 4 and return home after the program. But not without experiencing some of what D.C. has to offer.
"There's so much history to see," Cole said, mentioning the familiar monuments on the National Mall and the Smithsonian Institution museums. "We want to get the most bang for our buck."
They plan to see and hear the National Symphony Orchestra perform on the mall the night before the parade and witness Fourth of July fireworks with the backdrop of the nation's capital, Cole noted.
"It's exciting and encouraging that our school corporation is giving these kids these kinds of opportunities," Cole added.
Suffice it to say the band members are ecstatic, too.
Alto sax performer Anna Cole said as much as the band prepared to practice recently.
"I'm so excited," she gushed. "We know it's a lot of hard work but we also know that if we work hard, it will be worth it and we'll continue to do great things."
Senior Kess Raisor, who plays the trumpet in the band, readily concurred.
"I never thought that a school as small as ours would have a chance like this," she said.
Tenor saxophone player James Neier, also a senior, agreed.
"It's a great opportunity for a school like ours to show what we can do," he noted. "Let's do this!"