Marching Lynx score big with March-A-Thon

Fundraiser to begin an annual Homecoming tradition

If you were dreaming about Homecoming last week, the Webster City High School marching band did all they could to help anticipate the excitement of Homecoming by hitting the streets and sharing their musical talents with the community.

On Friday night, they kicked off the festivities of Homecoming with a band March-A-Thon, fundraiser, where for a small fee, the entire marching band showed up to serenade in the streets, in businesses, even in the public library.

It wasn't intended to be a surprise event, said Kaitlynn Abens, "I emailed all our band parents, then put it on social media. We were booked full the first day."

The band made stops across the community, performing not only at residents homes but also at the Crestview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd and the Kendall Young Library.

Community members had the opportunity to purchase a time slot for the band to perform at a location of their choosing throughout Webster City. The band made stops all across the community Friday.

The March-a-Thon was one way for the band to connect with the community while raising funds to support the WCHS Band program. It also marked the beginning of a busy week of performances and activities as they celebrate Homecoming Week with the Webster City Community School District.

"We went to ten locations, then we took a dinner break at Twin Parks and ate some pizza," said Abens. "It was good for us to just hang out with each other."

Abens said the idea came from a project the Iowa State Marching band does for Halloween, however she changed it so that it was both a fundraiser and an opportunity to get out into the community.

"We plan to do this in future years," she said. Abens wants this to be something special, something to anticipate.

"I think we will keep it to one time a year, and keep it for Homecoming."

Abens said there were several reasons for starting the March-a-Thon, it wasn't about raising money as much as it was to be more visible.

"We raised just over $600 and we had people say they were sending checks to the school, so it may be more," she said. But that wasn't what she envisioned originally.

"Our whole goal was a way to get out in the community more," she said.

The local marching band has been growing over the past few years under her guidance and direction.

"We are at 56 band members," Abens said, "The freshman class is our largest class. We currently have 23 freshmen, that is our biggest group and 14 in the sophomore class."

After homecoming week, there is still one more home football game where they will perform. But there will be another chance to watch the marching band perform according to Abens.

"We have our marching band showcase on Monday, Oct. 26 at the high school football field. At this we will perform both our marching band shows, we will recognize our seniors, and we will welcome band parents or other community members to march behind their students."

The recent rains have impacted not just performances at football games, but also rehearsal schedules.

"We had some music rehearsals inside, but we march outside and practice the drills in the light rain," she explained "We don't take our instruments outside. We use the band practice field that is next to the tennis courts."

"Last week we did dig some muddy trenches in the practice field," she said.

Abens is very proud of the band students she is working with this year and encourages local residents to see what they have accomplished.

"These kids, the band is so special this year," she said, "I'm so excited where this year is going to take us. I hope the community will come out and support us."