At 3:30 pm on October 4, 2019, one hundred and seventy-plus Cleveland High School students will descend on the school auditorium for the fifth annual CHS Bands Play-a-thon (https://www.gofundme.com/f/chsbandsplayathon2019). For eight hours, musicians from six different school bands will play music like many of them have never played before, all to raise much-needed dollars to fund this vital program for one more school year. It’s incredibly hard work, but the kids know what’s at stake. (It is also a total blast! The kids may grumble going into it, but by the end of the evening they are energized and proud!)
As you probably know, the Play-a-thon is our biggest and most important fundraiser of the year and continues to be the primary source of operating expenses for the entire CHS band/music program. The CHS Band program receives no direct funding from the school district. It’s no exaggeration to say that your donations are what keep this program running. Money raised at the Play-a-thon supports all aspects of our program and covers a variety of costs:
- Purchasing Sheet Music
- Subsidies for Performance Attire
- Travel to Festivals and Parades
- Solo and Ensemble Registrations
- Specialist Teacher Support
Some high schools institute a mandatory fee for band of $100 or more per student, in addition to instrument rental fees charged by the district. Mr. Riler and the Friends of Cleveland Bands feel strongly that access should be available to all. This is why we ask friends and family to support the program with donations that are meaningful and appropriate to them. We do not want to limit any student’s ability to participate!
Our fundraising site is online and open for donations now. Please direct friends and family to the CHS Play-a-thon GoFundMe page, where they will be inspired by the amazing video from Funnelbox that outlines what goes on in the band room and why it is so important. Just make sure to remind them to include the name of the student on behalf of whom they are donating.
Students in the CHS music program learn more than just how to be great musicians; they learn discipline, teamwork, and leadership—skills that will help them throughout their lives and their careers. Many studies show that music improves performance in other subjects like math and science. Yet funding for music and the arts in our schools remains sorely missing. Your donation will ensure that our kids continue to benefit from this invaluable program.
Thank you for your support!
Brian Richardson
Debbie Wager
chsbands.playathon@gmail.com
Friends of Cleveland Bands