2013 December PASO Magazine

EDUCATION & YOUTH
‘TIMBA’ band boosters keeps Templeton High marching
By Melissa Chavez
What’s a parade without a marching
band, or a live band without musicians?
It seems absurd to consider, but that’s
precisely what our future holds for lack
of support of school music programs.
In North County Band students, budget
cuts have continually hamstrung
music programs over recent years. Fortunately,
Templeton High School Band
students have a friend in TIMBA, or
Templeton Instrumental Music Boosters
Association.
The nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization
is seeking hand, hearts and money
to properly equip the students. “For
example, the marching band needs a
‘pit crew’ to help move equipment onto
and off the field for performances,” says
President Laura Wheeler. “We also
need help at concerts, to provide lunches
for the Marching Band ‘camp’ in
August, and perform many other tasks,
large and small, to help the band programs
run smoothly and hopefully take
some of the pressure off our wonderful
and talented Band Director, Mr. David
Landers,” said Wheeler.
The marching band budget per students
is about $400. Wheeler hopes
to subsidize half of this cost through
monetary donations and the other half
through fundraising. She estimates a
cost of $750-1,100 to transport
students to band competitions
and festivals, depending on distance
and the total time spent
away from campus. Due to this
high cost, travel to away games is
not an option.
TIMBA purchased sharp
looking, newly designed uniform
jackets, hats and plumes for $200,
which covers most of the ensemble,
minus the jumpers (pants).
“So for $200, an individual, business
or family can ‘sponsor’ a uniform,”
says Wheeler, and $300 will sponsor an
all-white drum major uniform. “A label
with their name will be sown into the
uniform so that the band member who
wears it will know where it came from.”
Wheeler adds that additional purchases
are necessary to account for different
sizes and new members.
TIMBA holds fundraisers yearround,
to include:
February/March: Applebee’s Breakfast
April/May: Rummage Sale
June/July: Fireworks sales (pre-sales
& booth at Las Tablas/Hwy. 101)
July: Fair parking
September: Rummage Sale
October: Taco Dinner
November/December: Thanksgiving Pies
& Christmas Tree/Wreath Sales
photos by David Landers
Proper instruments are costly.
Currently, the high school band tuba
is on loan; a new one costs $3,000.
It also takes anywhere from $1,200-
$1,500 per year to pay for drum
heads, which have a life span of one
season.
Because the Marching Band is
an extracurricular activity, the window
of time to drill on the school
field is brief. People are needed to
listen and listen to the various sections
and provide guidance. “Think
of it as a football team, where there
are dif-ferent coaches for different
groups of players,” says Wheeler. “We
also have a Color Guard (twirling
flags and props), so that is another
group that needs its own knowledgeable
instructors and equipment.”
What are you doing for dinner?
Templeton High Marching Band is a
competitive group with a reputation for
excellence. Wheeler says that of the two
shows in which it had participated, THS
received First Place in the Atascadero
Colony Days field show and Second
Place at Selma High School. At the latter
competition, Wheeler reports Director
Landers entered Templeton within a
high level to compete with larger bands to
gain valuable experience for his group to
perform for large audiences. For example,
Reedley High has about 350 members,
while Templeton High Marching Band
is less than 40 members strong.
Wheeler encourages her North
County neighbors to get involved and
stay informed about THS Band events
by sending an email to be included in
the “Friends of the Band” email list,
which notifies supporters of fundraisers
and other events.
At Selma High, Templeton Marching
Band “put on a great performance
and were enthusiastically cheered by
the crowd,” says Wheeler. “It was fun
to hear the people around us comment
about ‘how good’ they are!”
Contact TIMBA by email at temp
letonbandboosters@gmail.com. Taxdeductible
donations may be made to
TIMBA, P.O. Box 1332, Templeton,
CA 93465.
Now Open For Dinner
FIVE Nights a Week
Monday-Friday
4:30 - 8 pm
Paso Robles Golf Club 805-238-3040 www.pasoroblesgolfclub.com
24 Paso Robles Magazine, December 2013