Captains Harim Um and Megan Dugan advertise the Indoor Color Guard’s fundraiser for the upcoming season. By Carsyn Smith.
How much would you pay to compete in a world championship? Does $3,000 sound about right? Well, for the Indoor Color Guard, that number is looming over their heads.
The instructor of the color guard, Brett Spahr, explains his plan involves many fundraisers and the possible inclusion of sponsors. The plan includes selling Yankee Candles around Halloween for $22 and earning the color guard $10.
“The delivery would be before Thanksgiving,” Spahr said. There is also the inclusion of Flower Bulbs in the fall so they will be ready to plant in the spring. Spahr plans on creating a website where people, anonymously or recognized, can donate to the color guard.
The only clue provided to the public about this year’s show is, as Spahr said, “The show has to do with humanity.” Which raises the question: why should we invest in something we know nothing about?
Winter Guard International world championships are held in Dayton, Ohio every year and hosts groups as far away as Japan. Many people don’t see color guard as a sport, but 2013 graduate Laura Blouse said “color guard is an internationally recognized sport of the arts.”
Junior Sharon Pham agrees and said “is a sport of the arts that influences many individuals to do what they love. Even if it’s tossing a chunk of wood or sliver of metal.”
Pham said, “I think we have potential to raise the money, but a handful of girls can only do so much. If we want to do what we really love, we need others to contribute. Even if it’s verbal support.”
Spahr said “the more girls that join the guard will lessen the cost for each individual person.” Entrance fee to the world championship is $500 for an entire group; the more people that join, the lesser the coast will be.
Naturally, Spahr does not want to distract the color guard members during their outdoor season, so he does not wish to tell anyone just yet. He urges that if the people are curious, come see the show for themselves.