Groveland Twp.-On most Sunday afternoons the serene Groveland Township countryside is rather peaceful.
Yet, on Oct. 26, that silence was broken thanks to about $20 in raffle tickets and members Brandon High School Marching Band.
Township residents Jim and Kathleen Russell’s home was serenaded by the Marching Blackhawks after the couple’s daughter, Shana DeVoe, sold them the winning raffle ticket, which featured a ‘delivered band performance? as first prize.
Brandon Band Booster Grace Whitton, snagged the musical prize idea from the Rochester High School Marching Band, which successfully implemented the fund-raiser.
‘After spending a lot of time with other fund-raisers, a ‘no-overhead? project seemed just the thing to do,? said Whitton.
‘I thought it would be great to win a band. So, thanks to a lot of parents who gave up their Sunday afternoon we delivered.?
Although some Brandon Band Boosters were skeptical of the new fund-raiser, Brandon High School BandDirector RussMcMartin was ready to try something new.
‘We had tried selling pizza kits and fruit to raise money for the needs of the band,? said McMartin, Brandon band director for the past six years.
‘Many of these fund-raising programs require a lot of overhead costs and lots of work, for little profit. So, when a Brandon band member parent heard about a ‘overhead free? raffle program to raise money we jumped on it.?
So for $2 per ticket or three for $5, band members from both the middle school and high school sold about 1,200 tickets, netting $3,400 for the band to be used for new music, trips and other band needs.
The lucky winners invited about 30 people and used the opportunity to, ‘roll the event into a party,? said Kathleen Russell.
The musical prize served as a send off party for her husband’s parents, who were soon leaving for Florida, and a birthday party for an aunt.