SoundWave band is Orange Bowl bound
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

File Photo Destination, Miami The Gulf Breeze High SoundWave band was in Miami this week to compete in Orange Bowl festivities. The SoundWave was one of 12 bands competing for a spot in the game's pre-game program. All of the bands competed at halftime with music legend Gladys Knight and American Idol winner Taylor Hicks.

Saxophone? Check. Band uniform? Check. Charter bus caravan? Check. $156,000? Check.

Gulf Breeze High School band members and directors completed their logistical inventory inspection and left for Orlando and ultimately the FedEx Orange Bowl well before the crack of dawn Thursday, Dec. 28.

"It's been a lot of hard work, but it's going to pay off in Miami to show off our band and to improve our reputation," said 17-year-old Mary Deavor, a GBHS senior who plays the clarinet.

The entire GBHS Soundwave band, 116 students and approximately 20 directors and chaperones, left Gulf Breeze at 3:30 a.m. and headed to Orlando first to march in the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios Dec. 28. After a day of fun enjoying the attractions at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Dec. 29, the band traveled further south to participate in the Junior Orange Bowl

Parade in Coral Gables, a small municipality located just south of the University of Miami. The band students were also guaranteed a spot performing at the Orange Bowl halftime show at Dolphin Stadium with 2006 American Idol Taylor Hicks, multiple-Grammy award winner Gladys Knight and five other High School marching bands on Jan. 2.

In addition to performing in two parades and the star-studded halftime show, the Soundwave competed against the five other high school bands for a chance to perform exclusively at the Orange Bowl pre-game show, just minutes before the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Louisville Cardinals took the field.

GBHS' competition included marching bands from Fairley High from Memphis, Tenn., Harrison Central High from Gulfport, Miss., Land O' Lakes High from Land O' Lakes High from Land O' Lakes, Fla. Lemon Bay High from Englewood, Fla. and Port St. Lucie High from Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Above all else, band volunteers, directors and students wanted to thank the Gulf Breeze community for their generosity. Without the support of parents and area businesses, the GBHS band would never have been able to raise the $156,000 for the 675-mile trip, said Band Director Neal McLeod.

"We so often forget to thank the people that got us here - the community. Without them, none of this would have happened," said band parent and fundraiser Susan Beckman, whose 16-year-old daughter Kallie plays in the drum line.

For seven months, band members and parents spent most of their spare time bagging groceries, hosting raffles and charity dinners, car washes and wrapping Christmas presents at University mall to raise the $975 needed per student.

"My whole goal for the past seven months was to get 116 band students to the Orange Bowl. I pretty much put my life on hold," said Band Booster President Joyce Hill. "It was a life time opportunity for them and I can't believe we did it."

Anyone shopping at Bruno's in Gulf Breeze or Winn-Dixie near Tiger Point on a Saturday in the last few months is likely to have seen members of Soundwave working hard to raise money for their trip.

Ryan Kent, a 16-year-old sophomore who plays baritone, said he spent six hours every Saturday for two months bagging groceries.

"It took a long time to do it and it took up our Saturdays, but it was worth it," Kent said.