The Richmond High Marching Band has worked hard representing the school and community at sporting and community events and competitions, particularly amid the pandemic. The band has — as champion athletes would suggest — earned their right to go to Disneyland.
But the band needs your help.
The marching band is currently raising funds to march at Disneyland. The band’s famously successful director, Andrew Wilke, has launched a GoFundMe with the goal of raising the $16,000 required to book buses and hotels for the nearly 80-member Band. The students have started other fundraisers for the trip, such as selling candy and snacks, but Wilke hopes the GoFundMe campaign will raise a good chunk of the needed funds.
A donation will support a group of students who “pour their hearts and souls” into the Band, an energy “that can be felt when you hear them perform,” Wilke said.
A Pinole Valley High graduate, Wilke is an award-winning educator took over as director of the Richmond High music program nine years ago when there were just eight students participating. Music has shaped the lives of hundreds of young people at the school since, Wilke said.
“The impact of making music on a person lasts a lifetime, as do the friendships made along the way,” he said. “Big trips like this get our students outside our community and provide the background for many learning opportunities.”
To support the campaign, click here.
