Am.F. band hopes to compete at nationals

The American Fork High School Marching Band hopes to end their undefeated season at the Grand Nationals in Indianapolis this weekend.

The challenge: Band boosters must raise $250,000 by 4 p.m. today. As of Monday afternoon, fundraising efforts didn't look good.

The emotional engine behind the fundraising effort is the Oct. 10 death of assistant band director Heather Christensen, who was killed when a bus filled with band members overturned while returning from a competition in Pocatello.

"Her big goal was to go to Grand Nationals," said band director John Miller. "I think we can raise the money and go next year, but this is Heather's year. What a great ending this would be, but it might be way beyond reality."

The band capped its regular competition season Saturday night with a win at the Bands of America Western Regionals in St. George. It was to have been the final competition in a season scaled back in response to the economic slowdown.

"We even wooed them to move the competition from Las Vegas to St. George so it would be closer," Miller said.

But after judges at Saturday night's performance witnessed the band's stirring field show, "The Greatest Generation," which honors veterans of World War II, band boosters re-evaluated their plans. In the wake of Christensen's death, the show focused on individual sacrifice, which has taken on a personal meaning for the band students.

"We had two or three judges emotionally in tears after our performance," Miller said. "They talked to some of the parents and told them, 'You need to be at Grand Nationals.' "

The parents took up the challenge, and by Monday afternoon, they had made tentative arrangements for traveling, eating and sleeping accommodations for the 220-member band.

Now, they just need the $250,000 they estimate will be required to pay for it all. The band must have everything in place when the Alpine Board of Education meets Tuesday at 4 p.m. to hear their request for permission to make the trip.

"I've always been a positive guy, but this might take me down," said a dejected Miller. "But when you get a band this good, you want to take them out and put Utah on the map musically."

American Fork has competed three times at Grand Nationals, in 1995, 2006 and 2008, when the band made it to the finals for the first time, placing 14th overall. The band also represented Utah at George W. Bush's inauguration in 2005 and has marched in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York and the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.

The band is accepting any and all donations, with the promise that if the band doesn't make its deadline, the money will be returned. All donations should to be sent to the Alpine Foundation c/o American Fork High School Marching Band (575 N. 100 East, American Fork, UT 84003) or contact Wendy Jones at 801-400-7482.

e-mail: mhaddock@desnews.com