05.12.04
VFW ladies donate $10,000 to Building Fund
by Amanda Dumond of the Aroostook Republican

CARIBOU -- The Caribou High School Music Building Fund received its first large donation last Tuesday from the VFW Ladies Auxiliary.

The organization contributed $10,000 to the fundraising effort, the proceeds of which came from Bingo events held over the course of the year. This donation, among others, will help fund the construction of a building that will house the entire CHS music department. Currently, the various music groups share the Caribou Performing Arts Center with the theater department and community groups and are crammed into small rooms for practice sessions.

Ladies Auxiliary President Lorraine Malloy presented the check to the CHS Music Building Fund committee members present at the May 4 auxiliary meeting.

"That it's the students who re doing this project and not the politicians or the adults, that's what's really exciting about it," Malloy said of the student-run project. "We're really happy to do this."

CHS Music Building Fund Committee Chairman and freshman at Bowdoin College Brandon Bouchard was unable to attend the ceremony, but he responded by email to the donation.

"This donation illustrates the amazing response we have received from the Caribou community during the past months," he wrote. "It is evident that our community is ready to support the building of this new facility and help to further the education of Caribou's students for generations to come."

Music Building Fund committee members and CHS students Whitney Plourde and Kylie Davis also made a presentation on the progress of the initiative, after they received the check May 4.

Originally, the auxiliary had wanted to hear the presentation first and then decide whether they would donate to the fund, The members, however, felt that they could support the Music Building Fund without the information, believing it to be an important cause.

"We heard through one of our members that there was a dire need in town for this [music building]," Malloy said. "We felt we didn't need an explanation [to make a donation]."

Each year the president can designate a group or organization the auxiliary will make a donation to, and this year proved to be an easy choice for the auxiliary ladies.

"It's amazing," Plourde said of the $10,000 donation. "There have been lots of donations, but not as big as this."

The timing of the donation was optimal as the different high school music groups brought home several awards from a national music competition in Washington D.C. Gold medals went to the Jazz Band, Jazz Choir and the Concert Choir, and the Symphonic band received a silver medal. The group also received three trophies including the Outstanding Band group award given to the highest scoring symphonic band in the division, the Sweepstakes Award for the highest scoring band overall, and the Festival Sweepstakes award for the highest scoring school overall. Malloy and others commented that such accomplishments proved the need for adequate space for the high school music program.

Now that the CHS Music Building Fund has the $10,000 in hand they are focusing their efforts on obtaining grants. The committee will also set up their fundraising efforts within Caribou as well as downstate near Bowdoin, where Bouchard attends college.

"This donation [from the auxiliary] will get the ball rolling, as we can now go to individuals, businesses and organizations within the community and show them that we are serious in this endeavor through the overwhelming support that we have received thus far."

In late January the committee sent out nearly 400 letters to inform the community about the music building project. Bouchard said he did not expect to receive much response, but admitted his assumption was wrong. To date, the fund has received more than $17,000 of the $2.4 million needed to construct the music building.

"We expect to receive donations at a much more accelerated rate as we begin to go out into the community and individually seek donations," he added.

Committee members have also met with Harriman Associates, the firm who have designed the CPAC and who has expressed some interest in designing the music building. No decision has been made, however, as to who will officially design the building, Bouchard said.

Sen. Susan Collins is now the groups honorary chairman and has written a letter of support for the Music Building Fund.

As for the VFW Ladies Auxiliary members, they are now happy to play a part in the creation of the high school music building. Malloy said they may help the project again next year if need be.

"We're willing to do it again if they need us," she said.