HMB e-News
Director’s notes: A bumper year of support for the HMB!
Chris Petersen, Husky football head coach, addresses the crowd at the 2015 HMB Sneak Preview.
As many of you know, we simply could not make it through the year without the incredible generosity of those who give to the band year after year. The 2015-2016 school year is proving to be a wonderful example of your ongoing support for the members of the Husky Band and Spirit Programs!
We kicked off the year last August with the annual Sneak Preview and Husky Band Benefit, organized once again by the Husky Band Foundation. Over the last 13 years, this event has grown into the largest fundraising event for the band. Through the generosity of the attendees, the evening’s auction and ‘raise the paddle’ events raised a record-breaking total of $46,000 to help the band maintain uniforms and instruments, supplement the band’s operating expenses and boost our travel budget. My sincere thanks to event organizers Louis Figueroa (HMB 1988-93) and Mike Leone (HMB 1996-98), the entire foundation board and of course HBF President Ken Noreen (HMB 1960-63 & 1965-74).
Although the funds raised at the Sneak Preview are instrumental in getting us through football season, the donations many of you make annually to the Tequila Club provide the budgetary boost we need to get through the rest of the school year. The Tequila Club is spearheaded by former Husky Band member Mike Plonski (1983-85), the assistant athletic director for advancement at the UW, who does an incredible job helping me to reach out to alumni and supporters throughout the school year. And just a reminder that after tax season, if you’ve got any extra funds lying around the house, you can go to www.gohuskies.com/tequilaclub and donate to the Tequila Club any time!
Last, but in no way least, I want to sincerely thank all the alumni members and supporters who gave to the alumni band’s annual scholarship drive. As all band alumni know, the Husky Marching Band Alumni Association’s (HMBAA) sole fundraising purpose is to raise funds to support the scholarships and honorariums that are awarded at the band and spirit program’s annual post-season banquet. At last January’s banquet, HMBAA awarded a record $38,000 to many incredibly deserving students. For some of these recipients, the scholarships meant being able to pay for books, tuition or lab fees. To HMBAA President Stan Yantis, the board and all who donated to the scholarship fund this year, I cannot possibly thank you enough!
Keeping the band funded is a challenge the UW athletics department faces every year, but you—with your contributions and support—play a prominent and invaluable role in providing the dedicated students in the Husky Band and Cheer Squad with the unforgettable experiences they deserve so much.
My never-ending thanks,
Brad McDavid
Director of Athletic Bands
University of Washington
