Story by: Montana Moore
For the past 20 years, the marching band members have worn the same old uniforms, boasting buttons falling off and sweat stained collars.That all changed when a portion of money enabled them to purchase new uniforms for this year.
The Douglas County School Board awarded the TRHS Band a $45,000 portion of money, but it wasn’t an easy sell. The marching band first had to convince the board that they needed the uniforms. Adam Terry, the band director, said that he had to present a new uniform design to the School Accountability Committee, who votes on what new items to buy for the school. After they got the money from the committee, they still needed a little bit more, so they held a fundraiser.
“The new uniforms look nicer, plus they are lighter and cleaner,” said band student Samantha Walker, who described the differences between the old and the new uniforms. The new uniforms are more modern and in style than the old ones and they also make the band look more professional.
Walker added that she likes the new uniforms better because they are made of cotton. The old uniforms were made of wool, and Walker said that she and the other band members used to bake in them when the weather outside got hot.
The change in material significantly helped reduce the cost of maintaining the uniforms. The cost to clean the old ones once a year was $900, but the new ones can be washed at home as many times as needed.
Walker says that though she likes the new uniforms, she will also miss the old ones because she “...felt comfortable wearing them knowing that they were 20 years old and a part of [the] ThunderRidge marching band’s history.”
For the past 20 years, the marching band members have worn the same old uniforms, boasting buttons falling off and sweat stained collars.That all changed when a portion of money enabled them to purchase new uniforms for this year.
The Douglas County School Board awarded the TRHS Band a $45,000 portion of money, but it wasn’t an easy sell. The marching band first had to convince the board that they needed the uniforms. Adam Terry, the band director, said that he had to present a new uniform design to the School Accountability Committee, who votes on what new items to buy for the school. After they got the money from the committee, they still needed a little bit more, so they held a fundraiser.
“The new uniforms look nicer, plus they are lighter and cleaner,” said band student Samantha Walker, who described the differences between the old and the new uniforms. The new uniforms are more modern and in style than the old ones and they also make the band look more professional.
Walker added that she likes the new uniforms better because they are made of cotton. The old uniforms were made of wool, and Walker said that she and the other band members used to bake in them when the weather outside got hot.
The change in material significantly helped reduce the cost of maintaining the uniforms. The cost to clean the old ones once a year was $900, but the new ones can be washed at home as many times as needed.
Walker says that though she likes the new uniforms, she will also miss the old ones because she “...felt comfortable wearing them knowing that they were 20 years old and a part of [the] ThunderRidge marching band’s history.”