HHS Marching Band offers huge rummage sale to help with Disney trip

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">HARRISBURG &#8211; Plastic totes filled with clothing, toddler toys and a baby swing sat among a growing collection of items that looked slightly out of place in the visitor seating area above Davenport Gym Tuesday morning.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"That is a bargain at $1," Harrisburg High School music teacher and band director Hannah Drake said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"Miss Drake, the sticker says $10," a student replied.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"At $10, it's still a bargain," Drake said, as she surveyed the collection of items.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Several HHS Marching Band and Color Guard members, under Drake's direction, were busy sorting items in preparation for the band's spring fundraiser &#8211; a band family rummage sale.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The rummage sale is 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Davenport Gym at HHS. All band students and their families who wish to raise money for the band's summer trip to Disney World will have items for sale.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The band will travel to Disney World in June after being invited to participate in a parade at the park. The invitation was based on band performances in both parades and at field competitions during the fall.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"This is one of three fundraisers we've had to help pay for this trip," Drake said. "We had the variety show in the fall, and then band students sold their butter braids to raise money also. We hope this will be another great way to raise money."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Drake said local Ford dealership Jim Hayes Inc. in Muddy also is giving the band a boost by offering donations for each test drive of a Ford vehicle that day. She said Hayes will provide many different Fords for test driving and the business will donate $20 for each test drive by a different individual. Those who stay and test drive a Ford Focus later in the day will help generate an additional donation per test driver, she said. If enough people test drive cars that day, she said, they can raise up to $8,000 from Jim Hayes Inc. The test drives will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"We really want to thank Jim Hayes for their help in supporting us," Drake said. "We've worked with Stacy Hayes and Chris Street and they've been a big help, too."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Drake said a great deal of preparation goes into the band's Disney trip.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"We've been on the phone with our Disney reps to make sure we're ready," she said. "They are very specific about what the kids wear and what I wear when we're there. It takes a lot of time."

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">For that reason, the help of parents and donors like Jim Hayes make the process easier, she said.

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">"When you have so many things going on, any extra help is certainly appreciated," Drake said.