After 17 years, Geneva band needs new threads

Seventeen years of marching at football games and contests.

That's a lot of sweat, wear and tear on a marching band uniform, especially when it is in the care of multiple young musicians.

Geneva High School wants to spend approximately $113,000 to help purchase 415 new uniforms for the marching and concert bands.

The school board has not approved the expenditure, however, nor discussed whether the district would pay for them or rely on donations to pay the bill.

Assistant superintendent for business services Donna Oberg presented the matter during the school board's finance committee meeting Tuesday, seeking direction. She said to have the uniforms in time for the 2014 school year, the district would have to order them in January.

The Music Boosters already have begun raising money for the uniforms.

People can donate any amount, but there is a “Sponsor-A-Uniform” drive that lists the costs of each piece of the uniforms. It ranges from $53 for a sash for the marching band outfit to $85 for a concert dress to $530 for a full marching-band uniform.

The district would order 160 uniforms for the marching band, 155 tuxedos, 95 concert dresses and five drum-major uniforms.

The uniforms would feature snaps on the sleeves and legs, so they could be lengthened and shortened from year to year without using needle and thread.

The last time the district bought uniforms, the district paid half the cost. The board has not decided whether to do that this time.

Even if the district doesn't pay for the uniforms, it could front the money for the purchase and be repaid by the boosters.