Westfield HIgh School Marching Band (WHS Photo)
WESTFIELD – WHS Band Director Patrick Kennedy is asking all marching band alumni to mark the weekend of May 18 and 19, 2019 in your calendars.
On Sunday, May 19, Westfield will celebrate its 350th birthday with a parade. Kennedy’s dream is to have a 350 member marching band, with as many alumni as can join with the Westfield High School marching band, to make it an event for the ages.
Kennedy said he is looking for anybody who’d like to be involved who has ever participated in the WHS Marching Band. Kennedy said in some cases he may be able to provide harder to get instruments, like sousaphones, for parade participation.
A website has been set up for marching band alumni to fill out the interest form and download the music they will be playing at www.WHSAlumniBand.com. “Go to the website – We’re really hoping people will take the next step and download the sheet music,” Kennedy said. He said once people fill out the interest form, with the date graduated and instrument played, he can start to source needed instruments.
The “uniform” for the 350 Parade is white top and black pants, black socks and comfortable black footwear. To blend in with the students, WHS 350 Band Polo shirts, with a WHS Band logo on the left chest and Westfield 350 on the right sleeve are available to WHS Band Alumni for $20. Email Tracy Lacas at [email protected] to place an order.
‘My dream is to have the biggest group out there, and the best 350th celebration,” Kennedy said, adding, “There is room for folks of any ability level, so please spread the word to those that maybe haven’t played in a while. Dust off the old horn and be a part of the action.”
The day before, on Saturday, May 18, the WHS Band and Orchestra Parent Organization (B.O.P.) is coordinating their inaugural golf tournament at East Mountain Country Club. Registration begins at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start at 11 a.m., followed by a banquet at 5 p.m. that non-golfers are welcome to attend.
WHS B.O.P. Vice President and Golf Tournament Coordinator Jennifer Thielen said they wanted to have an event for alumni who come back to participate in the parade, and give them something to do over the weekend.
The Early Bird Special cost of the tournament is $95 per player, if registered before April 15, 2019. The regular price is $125 after April 15, 2019. The money raised will support the WHS Alumni Band Scholarship Fund for students wishing to pursue their music education.
“People should sign up sooner rather than later,” Thielen said, adding that there will be raffle prizes, and contest games throughout the tournament, including a hole-in-one prize (free braces) valued at $6,400.
Thielen said people can go to the banquet, which is included in the golfing packet, even if they aren’t golfing. The banquet starts at 5 p.m. and costs $30 as a standalone, with live music performed by the WHS Jazz Ensemble.
“We are interested in having people come to the banquet even if they don’t participate in the golf tournament,” Thielen, a WHS Band Alumni herself (Class of ’94 mallet percussion under Thomas Gannon) said, adding, “It’s going to be an exciting event, and we have a lot of community support.”
Thielen said they are also looking for sponsors for the golf tournament. Different levels of sponsorship are listed on the WHSAlumniBand.com website.
Raffle prize sponsors for the golf tournament are also being sought for a raffle table, which will allow the opportunity for more scholarships to be awarded to deserving students. All donations should be received by May 8, 2018. Items will be collected by B.O.P. volunteers. Contact [email protected] for more information and details.
Kennedy said if alumni are coming back for the parade, they can play golf or come and join them for dinner. “It’s a nice way to get people together,” he said, adding, “Certainly, we’d love the support.”
