BY SARAH STEPHENS
ELMORE/AUTAUGA NEWS
TOP PHOTO: FROM LEFT, SEHS Vice Principal Jaclyn Taylor, Millbrook Walmart General Manager Tyson Elrod, Drum Major Chrisdeeona Jackson and Band Director Wesley Morris.
During Millbrook’s Christmas Parade today at 2 p.m., the Stanhope Elmore Marching Band will be debuting brand new uniforms for the first time in 15 years.
Millbrook Walmart General Manager Tyson Elrod was at Stanhope Elmore High School Friday to hand over a $1,500 check to Vice Principal Jaclyn Taylor. This money came from a grant which Taylor had applied for through the Walmart corporation. This check helps to pay the remaining $10,800 still owed for the uniforms. The original total cost was over $37,000.
Over the past four years, the school has held fundraisers and asked for community support to help with the new band uniforms. Taylor said they will continue raising funds to finish paying off the amount, and have reached out to area businesses and organizations for a little help as well.
“We have had many people show their support, and others who said they will help us, so we are very hopeful the entire bill will be paid soon,” Taylor said.
SEHS Band Director Wesley Morris is extremely excited about being able to show off the new uniforms during the parade.
It has been a tough battle to keep the material in good shape to use for performances. With that effort came a lot of help from parents with sewing knowledge, or professional area seamstresses who offered their talents as well.
The uniforms come with sizing capability, with snaps in the legs and sleeves for different sized students. There are 175 uniforms in all, which will hopefully cover a wide variety of heights and sizes over the next years of use.
Chrisdeeona Jackson is a Senior at SEHS and Drum Major. She donned the new uniform for pictures Friday.
“We really have a 2.0 reboot of the band program this year when you consider the new uniforms and the new building which is currently under construction,” Morris said.
Walls were going up on the new building Friday. It is located behind SEHS’s main buildings, near the Ag Building. When complete, it will house not only the band room, but choir area, and have plenty of storage. Morris walked us through the old band room which is original to the school. The band program long outgrew that area, but the students have made due with what they had. The new building is a huge blessing Morris said.
It is just part of several construction projects recently approved by the Elmore County School Board.
“We think the building may be ready to use by April,” Morris said. Just saying that put a huge smile on the former SEHS student’s face. Morris is marking his 20th year since he graduated. He takes a lot of pride in instructing students at his alma mater. He has also served as the choir director at times over the years.
Other bonuses to the new building include Guitar Center donating guitars to the band for a music room. There will also be a piano room. Some beautiful music will echo through the walls of the new building, and it cannot come soon enough for band and choir members.
“I have spoken to Guitar Center, and they have an organization that may be able to offer further assistance down the road,” Morris said. “They told me to give them my ‘wish list’ so we shall see. We really are excited about all of this, and are very thankful.”
So, head downtown to Main Street Millbrook as the parade will roll today at 2 p.m. It begins at Smokehouse Pit Barbecue and will head north ending around Village Green Park. If the band seems to have a little more pep in their step, they have waited a long time to show off the new uniforms. Give them a little extra applause as they march through their hometown.
The Christmas Festival kicks off at 9 a.m. and will go until 4 p.m. This is the largest Christmas Festival in history for Millbrook. At last count there were almost 50 food and craft vendors. There will be a lot of shopping and dining opportunities. The city is expecting a huge crowd, so come early, get a great place to watch the parade, and enjoy a traditional Home Town Christmas celebration.
If you would like to help the band pay off the remaining $10,800 debt for the uniforms, please contact the school. Every little bit will help.
