Last night was also Senior Night. This is a time for the seniors to spend time with the directors and support staff, exchanging stories and adventures from their years in band. These tales are usually shared over ice cream and this year Frosty Treat was the destination. If you happened to drive by while they were there, you probably noticed the unusually large crowd.
You may have heard from your student that the Jenison campus was swarming with police yesterday. Well, this is true. There were officers from Ottawa County, Grandville, Walker, and Grand Rapids! You see, they got a tip from an informant that the band had received a donation of hamburgers and hot dogs with no way to cook them. Clearly they cannot be served uncooked as that would be a crime against the health department. So these community members came to Jenison’s rescue. Not only did they bring the grill and fuel (courtesy of the Fraternal Order of Police), but they cooked them up right and served them to our students with a smile on their faces. Thank you to each one of those officers for taking time from their day to support the Jenison community!
Further investigation of our meal revealed a list of donations from many community businesses. The hamburgers, hot dogs, and buns were donated by Lewandowski Meat Market on Walker Avenue. Salads and all condiments were donated by Brann’s in Grandville. The sweet and savory tortilla chips were donated by Hippie’s Chippies, a growing business with sales in some Family Fare stores, Harding’s Markets, and others. Additional items were received with steep discounts. The donuts holes, which were said to be “soooo goood” came from Marge’s Donut Den on 28th Street. Not to be outdone, both Frosty Treat and Palermo Pizza extended discounted items to the band.
Once again, the outpouring of our community into the marching band has been generous. Year after year we have the support of area businesses. Each year brings different challenges and opportunities for different businesses to help. This year has been exceptionally challenging with band camp being held at home. Most of the donations and discounts we received would not have been possible without the determined efforts of our Feed the Band chairs, Amanda Moerdyk and Heather Cosgrove. Their desire to provide meals of high quality and variation while remaining on a tight budget required they reach out to our community. Through their friends, family, professional contacts, cold calls, and the responsiveness of our community, these two women have succeeded in their endeavor. Thank you for what you have done for our children!