The Rider band has currently raised over $300,000 for their trip to London on Dec. 28 to play for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
“I’m really not sure why we got picked,” band director Loy Studer said. “We’re just a little band from Wichita Falls. In 2009, the band played at a UIL State wind ensemble. We were one of four 4A bands that were there. A member of the parade selection committee who used to be a band director at the University of Texas saw us perform and recommended us.”
Ever since the band got the bid for the trip they’ve had numerous fundraising efforts.
“We started fundraising last year,” Band President Callie Cunningham said. “We did a March-A-Thon where we marched through neighborhoods and collected donations. We’ve done Raider cards and gold stars where any business can pay $400 for part of a kid’s trip and that makes them a gold star sponsor. They get their name on the back of our shirts and on our truck.”
The most successful fundraiser the band has done is Cow Plop Bingo.
“Cow Plop Bingo is where we [gridded] up a football field into 1ft x 1ft squares and [numbered] one through 48,000 and [sold] the tickets off for $10 each. On Sept. 16 we [sent] a milk cow out on the field and whatever square the cow placed the most cow pie in won a 2011 Toyota Tundra from Sullivan Toyota.”
In the beginning the band needed to raise $3,000 a person or $450,000 total.
“We are almost there at this point. We feel like we’re about $60,000 away from making sure that everyone gets to go,” Studer said. “When we started out on average we needed about $4 from each resident in Wichita Falls to get us there and now we need about 75 cents from everyone to get us there. Even though it’s a large amount of money, I think we can get to the finish line. I would be worried if all the money was ready right now because that would not be normal. I think this is something that should take to the very last day to complete.”
The band is fundraising more than before to ensure that everybody gets to go to London.
“We have about 25 to 30 socioeconomically disadvantaged kids and we’re trying to make sure those kids have the same benefits as all the others,” Studer said. “We’ve been working really hard these last two months to work with businesses and local people to make sure that we get those kids taken care of.”
The band will travel by plane to London and then will be transported by the London underground and charter buses.
The wind ensemble which is the top concert band will perform Friday in the prime time spot at Cadogan Hall, which is where the London Philharmonic plays,” Studer said. “On top of that, the whole band was invited to play at the finale of the parade which will have five bands that are combining to do it.”
The band will also march the three mile parade route in London on New Year’s Eve, the opening event for the 2012 London Olympics.
“There are only 15 bands from the United States that are going this year. It’s the first event of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and it’s the first official Olympic event of 2012, so it’s a really big deal,” Studer said. “750,000 people watch the parade live in the streets, and it’s seen worldwide in 550 different countries by 220 million people.”
Once in London, the band will have plenty to do.
“We’re seeing Windsor Castle, the British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tower of London, a performance of Wicked, Big Ben, Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Oxford University, “Studer said. “It’s going to be a very educational trip.” Studer said he believes school rivalries have hindered the band’s fund raising efforts.
“I’ve really been shocked at how much the community hasn’t come quite together, because we’re not just representing Rider, we’re representing Wichita Falls, Sheppard AFB and the state of Texas,” Studer said. “We’ve actually had more support from towns like Nocona, Petrolia, Seymour and Henrietta that don’t get caught up in the Rider/Old High/Hirschi stuff. We do have a lot of help from people in Wichita Falls, but it’s usually people that are associated with Rider. I’m just surprised because we were supportive of Old High when they went to the Gator Bowl, but you hear time and time again, ‘well I’m an Old High person I’m not going to do anything for Rider.’ I wish we could put the Rider/Old High/Hirschi rivalry aside for a while.
Cunningham said that it’s a common misconception that the district is paying for the trip, but the band is paying for every penny.
“Our strong points are that we are a very spirited group that loves our school, and we will work very hard,” Studer said. “No matter what, we’re going to outwork anyone else.
Cunningham said that this is the biggest thing that has ever happened to Rider High School.
“We are really appreciative of everyone at Rider who has been helping us out,” Studer said. “All the way from Mrs. McDonald, down to parents and students that I’ve never met before that are helping us because they understand that it’s a big deal for our school and our community. Mrs. McDonald and the school district have been very helpful with supporting us emotionally and getting us where we need to be. We can’t say to say thank you enough to everyone.”