A fundraiser to send Columbus North High School’s Sound of North to Washington D.C. for the inauguration still needs about $10,000 in pledges.
Vice President-elect Mike Pence, a 1977 North graduate, requested that the band perform in the presidential inauguration parade on Jan. 20, and asked Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, to make it happen.
In November, Smith began a campaign to raise $125,000 to send the band and staff members to the event and has about $115,000 in pledges so far in an account set up at Salin Bank.
“We’re still not there, and we’re going to get it,” Smith said. “I’m prepared to kick in some more, too.”
Smith said having the band perform at the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump and Pence is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and a great experience for the North students.
Local entrepreneur and businessman Tony Moravec, who is a close friend of Pence, is paying local company Burnett Collective LLC to record the band’s trip to Washington from Jan. 18 through Jan. 22.
After students return from winter break on Jan. 9, band members will have four two-hour rehearsals, including one that is open to the public.
The public performance is planned for the end of the band’s Jan. 17 practice, at 7:30 p.m. at the school’s football stadium — or in the school’s cafeteria if the weather doesn’t allow the band to be outside.
The account has been established at Salin Bank’s locations in Columbus and Edinburgh to accept donations under the title “Columbus North Band Boosters inaugural parade fund.”
Smith is asking those who already have pledged to stop in at Salin to drop off their donation. Some people who have donated indicated they wished to donate after the first of the year.
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Those interested in making a pledge to help send the Sound of North to the inaugural parade in Washington D.C. are asked to email [email protected] with the amount of the pledge. Pledges are then accepted at Salin Bank locations in Columbus and Edinburgh under “Columbus North Band Boosters inaugural parade fund.”
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