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Multiple cans and bottles were collected at Utica High School to support the Utica High School marching band.
Photo by Erin Sanchez
UTICA — Community members came out on June 14 to help support the Utica High School Marching Band through its Can & Bottle Drive Fundraiser.
This year, the marching band has around a hundred members and the funds from the can and bottle drive will go toward covering the band’s various expenses.
“This fundraiser is important because it costs about $80,000 to run our program for one year, and while we do charge our students a fee to attend our band camp, it does not cover the entire cost for everything we need for the year, so we supplement by doing fundraisers,” Utica High School Band Director Brett Bays said in an email.
From 10 a.m. to noon, donors could drop off returnable bottles and cans to Utica High School, Eppler Junior High School, Shelby Junior High School, Flickinger Elementary School, Wiley Elementary School, West Utica Elementary School, Issac Monfort Elementary School, George F. Roberts Elementary School, and Dresden Elementary School. Those dropping off cans and bottles could drop off their items without the need for sorting.
Sophie Bowers, an upcoming senior, drum major and alto saxophone player with the marching band, said that her favorite thing about band is the people, as she enjoys going to football games and band camp among other things with best friends.
“The bottle drive is such an exciting new opportunity for our band,” Bowers said in an email. “We work hard to fundraise, so something like this that is easily accessible for most people will do great things for us. Knowing that the community surrounding our band is coming together for this is amazing, I know we’re all grateful. My favorite thing about being in the marching band is definitely the people.”
For more information, visit uticak12.org/uticahigh.
