A Little Oom-Pah, Please

The Thousand Oaks High School Lancer Band is steppin’ proud and blowin’ loud these days, winning awards left and right and marching toward the first Tournament of Roses parade appearance by a Ventura County band in more than 30 years.

And the community is getting in step with the necessary fund-raising. The parent-driven Band Boosters have raised about $3,500, the City Council chipped in $10,000 (in return for which the young musicians agreed to tidy up a stretch of Olsen Road) and the band hosted a field show that earned another $8,000.

That’s enough to cover the Rose Parade trip, including transportation, instrument-truck rental and the cost of keeping the outfit’s percussion coach and color-guard instructor on the payroll for an extra month.

But attempts to drum up corporate sponsorship for one big-ticket item have fallen on tone-deaf ears. Band director Bill Hoehne wishes his troops could strut down Colorado Boulevard with a full rank of shiny new silver sousaphones, to replace the motley and dented collection the band has accumulated over the years. The tab for 11 of the tubby tubas adds up to $60,000--and the Band Boosters would gladly offer shoulder-patch logo space to any company willing to underwrite the oom-pah.

Other upcoming gigs include a trip next April to march in the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C., and compete in the Dixie Classic concert and jazz-band festival in nearby Richmond, Va. Each of the 243 band and color-guard members will need to raise $1,400 to cover expenses for that trip.

As you watch parades and halftime shows over the Thanksgiving weekend, think of the hard work, the sense of accomplishment and the lasting memories earned by each member of each band. If you feel moved to help the Lancer Band and Color Guard trumpet the glory of Ventura County’s young people to the world, contributions may be sent to TOHS Band Boosters, 2323 Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks 91360; or call 492-7072.