Boosters' membership drive strikes a chord with community

The Bay High Marching Band performs on Memorial Day at Lakeside Cemetery.

Bay Music Boosters Door-to-Door Membership Drive was held on Thursday, Aug. 15. More than 160 students participated from the band, orchestra and Rockettes.

This year, the non-profit organization’s name changed from Bay Band Boosters to Bay Music Boosters to incorporate all areas of the music program in Bay Village, including the choral program. This involves over 950 students in the Bay school system. Since 2003, Bay Village has been named as one of the “Best 100 Music Communities in America” – a huge honor and accomplishment!

This year’s membership drive was very successful and we wanted to express our sincere appreciation to everyone in the community who supported this important program. The door-to-door membership drive is the music program’s major fundraiser and we are happy to report that to date we have raised in excess of $18,000.

The donations will be used in many ways throughout the year. Since choral is included this year, some of the funds will be used to buy new dresses for Treble choir and we will be moving their current dresses to the freshmen. Funds will also be used for contest fees, instrument repairs and purchases, instrumental coaching fees, college and summer camp scholarships and other specific needs for this school year.

Most of all, the Bay Village music program supports students so they do not have a “pay to play” fee. Many other school systems require students to pay a fee to participate in their music program and we are very fortunate not to have families incur this expense.

On the day of the membership drive, my co-chair, Joy Hutchinson, and I were so proud of all the students. They dressed in either their band or orchestra polos, and the Rockettes dressed in their uniforms. They were given some instructions, given their assigned route and sent on their way in groups of four. Their enthusiasm was exciting to see.

Joy and I talked about how many personalities 160 students must have and that, for some, going up to someone’s door and asking for a donation must be a little intimidating. Yet, all of the students did it. We hope that participating in the door-to-door membership drive not only teaches them the importance of community support, but other important values as well.

We hope it teaches them that they can do something they thought they could not do. We hope it teaches them appreciation for the opportunity to meet so many kind people in the community – possibly people they might not have met if they were not going door-to-door. It is especially fun to hear the stories that people have told the students of their past experience with the music program when they, their children or even their grandchildren were in Bay Village schools.

After the membership drive, the students were rewarded with a pool party at Bay Community Pool. They laughed, swam, goofed around and generally just enjoyed each other’s company as they all joined together as one group that day.

If you would like to support the Bay Music Boosters, you can donate by using a credit card or Paypal from the website at: baymusicboosters.com/forms/pay-for-your-membership or by mailing a donation (checks payable to Bay Music Boosters) to: Bay Music Boosters, c/o Bay High School, 29230 Wolf Road, Bay Village, OH 44140.

Again, thank you for your kind and generous support.