MIAMI – Their instruments are checked in and now the Key West High School marching band is about to cross the pond from Miami International Airport to perform in London’s New Year’s Day Parade.
“It’s a massive world stage for hundreds of thousands of people live,” said KWHS Band Director Gary Hernandez.
“We’re coming from all the way down here in Key West, Florida and we have such a diverse group of people,” said Eddie Strunk, a band captain for KWHS.
Besides the hours and hours of practice, the band’s journey has been a long and hard one but is about to pay off.
Jamie Struck, the mother of Eddie Strunk, told Local 10 News that she’s proud of all the band members who worked multiple car washes and held yard sales just to make the trip happen.
“It’s making me choke up to see all these kids here, she said. They have worked so hard doing multiple car washes, yard sales, just out on the streets making it all happen for themselves, parents making it happen and our community of Key West. We cannot thank you enough.”
Event organizers told Local 10 News that the band raised over $400,000 to make the trip happen.
The band is also asking for the public’s help to donate towards their general KWHS Band Program Fund which supports their entire band program throughout the school year.
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