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Fruit sale helps send band to national stage
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Neighbors | Submitted.During an early morning band practice on Oct. 11, members of the Poland Seminary High School Marching Band showed some of the excitement and precision that they will bring to their Jan. 9 performance at the BCS College Football National Championship game in New Orleans. Band members and Poland band parents are selling fruit and flavored cheesecakes until Oct. 28 to help fund for the band's trip to New Orleans.
By SARAH FOOR
This year, Poland Seminary High School band director Nick Olesko wanted to offer a big opportunity to his students.
“Our band has never performed at any national sporting events, but I’ve heard from so many other directors that it is an amazing experience for the kids. I did my research and decided if we were going to perform somewhere, it was going to be big,” explained Olesko.
Come Jan. 9, the Poland band will be traveling to New Orleans to perform along with other high school bands during the BCS college football national championship game.
During their trip, the students will meet bands from around the country, attend pre-game soirees in their honor and absorb the culture of New Orleans.
“We’ll only learn the selection we’re playing a few weeks before the game, but we do have some plans already. When we arrive, I want to stop and we’ll have an impromptu musical performance right on the street. New Orleans has such a rich culture of music that I want the students to experience first-hand,” added Olesko.
With busing to Louisiana, lodging and events, the cost for each student to attend is $960.
However, members of the band and the Poland Band Parents organization have been working to ease the cost of the trip for families.
Their final fundraiser to raise money for the event is a Fruit Sale that is running until Oct. 28. The sale offers oranges, grapefruit, apple, and pears, and flavored cheesecakes in chocolate swirl, cookies and cream and strawberry, among other items.
To purchase the treats and help out Poland Band students, contact sale co-chairs Melissa Beaumier at 330-757-9921 and Lori Mowad at 330-757-1713.
“This is not just the highlight of our year – I truly think this is something the students will remember and appreciate for years to come,” said Olesko.