#Magicday…Community

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charity basketball game, community, fundraiser, magic, Marching band, new uniforms, Spirit of Woodlan

I live in a small town. Our area school isn’t very big, but we are mighty Warriors. My daughter is in eighth grade and, as you may know from previous posts, joined the Spirit of Woodlan marching band last fall. AND THEY FINISHED FIFTH AT THE STATE COMPETITION! Making them the best HS marching band in the northern part of the state, the winners are south of Indy.

And they did it wearing uniforms that have been around for 16 years. I watched a volunteer hand sew tiny holes shut on gloves every competition day. I watched parents carefully tuck jackets into bags hoping they wouldn’t fall apart. I heard stories of pants ripping, and not down a seam, and the frantic search for ones that would work.

Time for new uniforms?

Well, when our fabulously talented Spirit of Woodlan marchers were nominated and then invited to play in the Fourth of July parade in Washington D.C. this summer, new uniforms were added to the list.

But these things aren’t cheap. Goodness no. So we have been asking for donations. And TONIGHT the community will come together to help raise the last little bit they need.

We have volunteers manning the concessions, selling food donated by the parents of the band members. We have Woodlan alumni coming to play a basketball game against the K-105 Hoopsters. Should be a good time! All for our little town’s school. All to help our incredible marching band look their best for our country’s birthday parade in our nation’s capital. And send them into next competition season looking snazzy.

My daughter is super excited to be one of the first to wear the new uniforms. And we are buying her one of the old hats with a plume to remember her first year in the Spirit of Woodlan…that money also going to the uniform fund.

These kids work so hard. It’s so great to see the community come together to support them.

If you’re in the area, come to Woodlan HS. $5 at the door. Yummy food. Great fun! Game starts at 7! I’ll be there in my Spirit of Woodlan shirt!

Magical.

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Marching Band Makes the World Better

Tags

fill the world with happy, Marching band, my daughter, pride, simple joy, small town festivals, Spirit of Woodlan, thoughts

Last weekend was out small town’s summer festival. 90 degree weather. Sun. People. Games. And a parade.

I love it. Small town summer all wrapped up in sweaty, sunburned people, in fried food and games where you can win Dum Dum suckers.

When I was a kid, in the suburbs of Peoria, Illinois, summer meant the Heart of Illinois Fair. The demolition derby. Manning the photography exhibit with my dad (and entering my photos, one of which won second!). The smells of fried food. The mid-way. Tractor pulls. The dancing fountain. WONDERFULNESS!

Those once a year traditions make me smile. The special moments when people come out of their air conditioning and celebrate their communities make the world happy.

Let’s face it, the world needs happy. A lot of it.

The world needs people smiling. It needs good feelings. It needs people getting together in peace. And I pray for those who don’t have that peace.

But last weekend was even more than that…for me. My 13 year old daughter marched in her first parade as a member of her school’s marching band, The Spirit of Woodlan.

She came to me at the beginning of her fifth grade year and told me that she went to the band teacher and asked about playing the trumpet…on her own.

I had no idea she was interested in playing an instrument. So, she was offered a school trumpet to play, and she would get up early everyday to go to band practice half an hour before school.

Without complaint, she went to band every morning of her fifth and sixth grade years. At the end of her fifth grade year, she told us that the trumpet was awesome, that band was the best and she was sticking with it. So we bought her her own instrument.

This ends her seventh grade year, the year band became a class, so no more getting to school early, her third year of playing, and…

SHE DECIDED TO JOIN THE MARCHING BAND THIS SPRING!

I have no idea what being a band-mom means, but it’s scaring me a bit.

BUT I WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MY MUSIC-LOVING KID WHO LOVES BEING A PART OF THIS GROUP!

Well, in June she practices from 6-9 pm, four times a week. She gets a break, then at the end of July brings band camp…five days a week, two weeks, 8-4. Memorizing music. Learning to walk (the correct way) and play at the same time. And as soon as school starts, practicing for five hours after school and learning a routine to perform at football games and band competitions.

WHAT?

Dude. That’s. A. Lot. Of. Work.

AND SHE IS SUPER EXCITED!

Well, she can march and play at the same time. And her first parade was a success! I was a proud, PROUD girl watching my daughter strut along the parade route looking cool and super awesome.

So sharing the joy…

PLAY THAT TRUMPET FOR THE WORLD TO HEAR!

Fill you life with the things that bring you joy, when the pleasure of that hobby or job outweighs the thought of hard work.

If we all focus on the joy of our lives…of LIVING…then bit by bit, we erase the darkness of the world. We can stop evil with our light, beginning with simple things like music and the marching band.