Saturday, August 03, 2013

Westfield HS Marching Bulldogs Win Prize

In its first appearance in the Fairfax City 4th of July Parade, the Westfield High School Marching Bulldogsof Chantilly, Virginia won a $4,000 prize for its showmanship and music. The prize money is just one more step in the Marching Bulldogs’ quest to raise at least $125,000 to cover the expenses associated with their trip to Pasadena, CA to march in the 2014 Rose Parade which is held prior to The Rose Bowl Game® each New Year’s Day. The parade is watched by approximately 1 million people along the parade route, a television audience of 57 million people in the US, and an estimated 350 million worldwide.
Westfield is only the 3rd Virginia public high school to be accepted to march in the 125 year history of the Rose Parade, and one of only 12 high school bands selected for 2014. According to Tournament of Roses® President, R. Scott Jenkins, there are over 25,000 high schools in the US, and the Rose Parade receives over 100 marching band applications each year. During his recent visit to Fairfax to officially invite Westfield to the parade, Jenkins said in an interview with Washington's NBC4 News Barbara Harrison“they are terrific... and we are thrilled to have them”.
Westfield trumpeter Glenn Turner said, “It’s a really big honor. There are not many bands that get to go to the Rose Parade. I watch it every year on TV, but I won’t in 2014 because I’ll be there!” The theme of this year’s parade is “Dreams Come True”. “It is truly an honor and a dream come true for these students to march in the 2014 Rose Parade. This is a huge moment for the school, community, and state,” said the band’s director, Stephen Panoff.
Westfield was selected by the Tournament of Roses in part due to its “Music for All” philosophy. The band represents the multi-ethnic community it serves and embraces the diversity of its musicians. Another reason the band was selected is that it regularly uses its talents to support charitable organizations in the community. Benefit concerts have been held for The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Toys for Tots, and the Western Fairfax Food Bank.
Westfield will be sending 275 students to Pasadena, CA and faces a significant fundraising challenge. The band must raise $125,000 to cover the expenses associated with additional uniforms, instruments, and transportation of equipment across the country. This is in addition to the $1,600 students are paying to cover their own costs. “Ideally, we want to offset some or all of the cost of the students’ trip after covering our expenses which are not being passed on to the students. The support of individuals, businesses, and corporations is critical for making this dream come true,” said Panoff.
The band received endorsements for its application to the parade from Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and U.S. Senator Mark Warner. McDonnell said, “[The Westfield Marching Band is] an extraordinarily talented group of young men and women who will prove to be a wonderful sight to millions of people that have enjoyed the Tournament of Roses Parade year after year”. Likewise, Senator Warner said, “The Westfield Band program represents a diverse mix of ethnic and economic backgrounds and serves as a shining example of what can be accomplished when people from different backgrounds and cultures work together for a common goal”.
For more information on the Rose Parade, the WHS Marching Bulldogs’ upcoming performances, and ways to support the band's Sponsor-A-Dream! fundraising campaign, visit: http://www.WestfieldBand.org.

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