Carson High marching band raising funds for San Francisco trip

The Carson High School marching band is raising money to send 70 students to the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade at the end of the month.

The Blue Thunder Marching Band has been accepted to the televised band competition and parade on Feb. 24, and to raise the funds to go, it created the Adopt-A-Band-Member fundraiser.

Each “adoption” is $25 for a student and $100 for a section and those who adopt will receive a photo, certificate and thank you note. The students need to raise $18,000 for busing to the Bay area, lodging and some food. So far, the marching band has raised nearly $7,000.

“It is very important to go, the families have come up with some of the money and the kids have done a good job of getting out into the community for adoptions,” said band director William Zabelsky.

This will be the first time the marching band has been to the parade, which will also be the band’s first televised performance.

“It is a neat parade it goes right through the lower section of Chinatown,” Zabelsky said. “There are people lining the streets 10 to 20 people deep. It is really cool.”

Zabelsky said this is a great opportunity for the Blue Thunder.

“Our band keeps getting bigger every year and keeps getting better every year and they need an outlet to let people know how good we have become,” Zabelsky said.

The Blue Thunder will be competing with a dozen other school bands and walking with nearly 100 other floats, organizations and even a golden dragon.

“I think it is exciting, they shouldn’t be nervous because they know what they are doing,” Zabelsky said.

The students will be playing a piece called “Horse” by Cliff Nobles and Company along with some fancy footwork.

“Too bad it is the Year of the Dog and not the Year of the Horse,” Zabelsky joked. “I think we will do all right, we always go to be best, but that isn’t the most important part. We want to be a great representation of Carson High, Carson City and the state of Nevada. It would be great to be on top but that isn’t the purpose of why we are going.”

In addition to the parade, the students will also have some time to enjoy the sights of San Francisco, a place where Zabelsky said some of the students have never been before.

“They are excited they get to play tourist too,” Zabelsky said.

Anyone can adopt a band member at any time before or after the competition, all extra money will go back to the band for necessary expenses. To adopt a member, contact any band member or William Zabelsky at 775-283-1779 or at wzabelsky@carson.k12.nv.us.