Niceville High band smelling like a rose
Some say that success smells like money, but the Niceville High School marching band would probably say it smells like roses.
The band is preparing to leave for Pasadena, Calif., on Friday so it can march in the 119th Tournament of Roses Parade before the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Band director Dan Wooten said the trip will be the culmination of a lot of hard work.
“We actually received the invitation 18 months ago,” Wooten said. “We practiced a whole lot. We worked to make sure we represent the way we know everybody deserves.”
He added that hard work just didn’t mean practice — it meant a lot of fund raising.
Each student had to raise $1,700 to attend, in addition to the $1,000 that had to be raised to charter the Boeing 747 needed to carry more than 400 band members, chaperones and parents.
Of course, the band members had help from the band booster club, the local community and their parents.
Chris Tredway, whose sons Jarrod and Jonathon play in the band, said he and his wife helped by pitching in at any and every fund-raiser they could.
Tredway, the band director at Lewis Middle School, knew the opportunity to march in the Rose Bowl doesn’t come around very often, and he wasn’t going to allow his boys to miss it.
“I know this is a chance of a lifetime,” he said. “They can look back and see all the neat things they did — the unique thing of making music together. I know it’s going to be a great day for everybody.”
Jonathon feels the same way.
The 16-year-old trumpet player said he rarely gets to leave his hometown, and he can’t believe his time to shine is so close at hand.
“It’s certainly surprising we’ve made it this far,” Jonathon said. “We’ve been practicing a long time.”
For 17-year-old trombone player Hope Tuttle, the whole thing is an overwhelming experience she will likely never forget.
“I watch (the parade) every year on TV. I never thought that (this) would happen,” she said.
“I don’t think I still understand how big this is. It’s so huge. I can’t comprehend it.”