New Band Uniforms Arrive!

Band booster member and band parent Danielle Hopwood exams one the new uniforms that the marching Band will wear this football season.

When Cameron County High School Band Marching Band and Band Front members arrived for Band Camp last week, they got a pleaseant surprise: their new unjiforms had arriuved.

. The band uniforms were delivered to the school more than two weeks ago, while the band front uniforms arrived on Wednesday of this week. The outfits, created by DeMoulin Bros. and Co., cost about $63,000. They were ordered in March after the students were measured by a company representative. There are 160 new uniforms in all.

A fund drive which was started last year and which was expected to last some three years, went way better than expected. The $60,000-plus need to purchase the outfits was raised in a year and the band and band front will both be newly-outfitted when the football season begins.

"It's like Christmas to me," advisor Barb Ryan said. "We expected it to be three years and for have them in a year is incredible."

Thes uniforms are a dream

come true for the marching band program. Cameron County's Marching Band and Bandfront are widely-known for their performances and are a huge fan favorite in Cameron County. aThe uniforms replace ones worn by numerous different band and band front students during a period of more than 20 years.

"They look a lot sharper on the kids," Band Director Daniel Sensenig said. "They (students) are going to look real nice."

With the new uniforms, the pants and jacket remain black. The overlay has changed from white to black. A new black buffalo hat has been ordered for band members, as well. Also included with the uniforms are a garment bag and rain gear.

Most of this week at band camp parents spent time organizing the outfits, which didn't come assembled. They also helped fit band and band front members into them. Students also spent this past week learning their half time routine on the practice football field at the school. They'll play three songs: "Back in Black," "In A

Young Man's Mind," and "Border Crossing."

Students started raising money for the uniforms last August, tallying around $6,000. They sold items from Cherrydale Farms and Gardeners Candies, and also sold fruit. Band members also held a dunk tank at the fair last year to raise money. But it wasn't long after that others started chipping in and began donating money. The Emporium Foundation donated about $20,000, and the Cameron County School Board gave $45,000. The band boosters provided about $10,000.

Last year students got the chance to draw what they wanted uniforms to look like. "We took it pretty much from the students designs," Sensenig said. Because of the new outfits, student will no longer be hauling them from home to school. Students will be changing at the school and then leave them there in a garment bag.