The Grove City High School marching band will hit the streets to raise money.
For five evenings in August, the band will travel through different Grove City neighborhoods playing their favorite tunes and raising money for the band. This has been a tradition of the marching band for over 30 years. According to Jeff Warner, band booster communications coordinator, the concerts are both a public thank you and a fund raising activity for the band.
"The kids have so much fun doing it," he said. "They are proud to represent Grove City."
Money raised from the street concerts support the band’s general operation, providing funds to purchase replacement uniforms and hats, as well as to help with transportation-related expenses, music, and other expenses. Warner explained that the band just purchased a new percussion set that was approximately $10,000. He said fund raising activities such as the street concerts help with other large purchases.
"The students need two uniforms, one traditional uniform and one contest uniform," Warner explained. "The uniforms are close to $500 a piece so with over 200 kids in the band that stuff adds up quickly."
In the past the street concerts have raised between $6,000 and $8,000. The students will be in a 24-foot long truck that takes them through local neighborhoods. The flag corps members will be going door-to-door asking for donations. The concerts begin at 6 p.m. and conclude at dusk, beginning Aug. 21. The tentative schedule includes:
Aug. 21: Scioto Meadows, Hennigan’s Grove, the eastern portion of Indian Trails, the southwestern portion of Grove City, Farmbrook, Parkridge, and Ziner Farms
Aug. 22: Western portion of Indian Trails, Hawthorne Woods, Grant Run Estates, as well as the south-central and north-central portions of Grove City
Aug. 23: Meadow Grove, Quail Creek, Hoover Park, Mayfair Drive, Claybrook Crossing, Southern Grove, and the remainder of north-central Grove City neighborhoods
Aug. 28: Creekside, the remainder of Meadow Grove, Hoover Crossing, Christina Villas, and any remaining northern neighborhoods
Aug. 29: Pinnacle, Briarwood Hills, Geyerwood Court, Martha’s Woods, Berry Hill, Keller Farm, and any neighborhoods missed in preceding trips
"The street concerts have become an institution in this community," said Warner. "Lots of people really look forward to it."
Grove City Band Director George Edge added, "The Grove City community has always been tremendously supportive of our band program. We try very hard to help students understand how lucky they are," he said. "We cannot begin to thank the community enough for the many years they have stood behind us. We hope the street concerts serve as a thank you."
The street concerts not only raise money for the band and entertain the community, it serves as a recruiting tool. Warner said many young kids hear the band marching through their neighborhoods and decide they want to join in the fun. Band Booster President John Hall said it was because of the street concerts that he got involved with the band.
"The annual street concert was my family’s first interaction with the Grove City marching band," Hall noted. "Little did I know that the experience would lead to my own two children becoming band members one day, and that I would become the band booster president."
The marching band will try to cover all the areas listed above but may miss some routes due to weather or traffic detours. If you would like to donate but miss the street concerts, you can make a donation to Grove City High School, 4665 Hoover Rd. in care of the band boosters.
