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The Morristown-Hamblen East Hurricane Band has days to reach its fundraising goal of $15,000 and it needs the community’s support to reach it.

The band is participating in an online campaign called a Vertical Raise which ends on September 1. With this fundraiser the community can give to a specific student or to the entire band.

The money received will cover costs for many activities such as playing at halftime with the UT’s Pride of the Southland Band and competing in band competitions this fall.

The East High band will be joined with other high school bands in the region who all had to go through a rigorous application process to be chosen for the honor to play alongside the UT band.

East High band students will take the field on September 23 at the game against The University of Texas San Antonio.

“It is an honor for use to be able to march alongside Pride of the Southland Band and it is an amazing opportunity for the students to participate in this event,” said Brandon Tilley, East High Band director

The band has to cover tickets for the game for each student and also pay for transportation to get to and from Neyland Stadium.

Last fall the band took home several awards and superior ratings. This fundraiser will help them repeat that feat.

It competed at the Walden Ridge Band Festival held at Harriman High School in Harriman. Both the band and Drum Major Haley Goodfriend received superior ratings while the color guard was named Grand Champion Guard.

The funding the band raises will also go towards supplies, repairs and new instruments for students. Tilley explained that he tries to eliminate any costs for students to participate in the activity.

“Students pay a minimal cost to participate in the band, but that’s because through fundraising efforts I do not have to charge them the full price,” he said. “Some of my students have jobs and help contribute to their families so I don’t want to add another burden onto their plate with having to pay for band.”

“Band should be a chance for students to escape and share their love for music, not somewhere they have to worry about paying fees.”

Tilley mentioned that several instruments loaned to students have experienced many years of wear and tear and need to be replaced.

“I’ve had several students who have come up to me and said they would love to play music and join the band but they either don’t have an instrument or can’t afford to play.” Tilley said. “I never turn students away, we have several instruments that the band has collected over the years and we are able to give students those to use.”

“Many of those instruments are many years old and have gone through a lot of wear and tear, and we would love to purchase new instruments for students to use.”

The band is even open to accepting instruments, in good condition, as donations to give to students to play.

“If someone used to play an instrument and they don’t anymore and it’s just sitting there collecting dust, we would gladly take it as a donation,” he said.

The ongoing online campaign the band participates in is a Vertical Raise where the community can give to students or in an anonymous format. Information for the Vertical Raise can be found on the band’s Facebook.

“We thank the community for its continuous support of the band,” Tilley said. “With us taking the students to march with Pride of the Southland Band, competition in competitions and the need for new instruments we need their support more than ever.”

The community can watch the band perform its current halftime show, with the theme Umbrella and featuring the songs ‘Umbrella’ by Rhianna and ‘Gravity’ by John Mayer, on most Friday nights at Burke-Toney Stadium.

The band can also be seen marching in the Veterans Day Parade on November 11 and the Christmas Day Parade on December 7.

For more information about the band or to support its fundraiser, visit its Facebook page at Morristown-East Hurricane Band.