Anchorage Daily News

WASILLA --- Jamin Burton knows it's a tall order, but he's hoping he can raise enough money to get the Colony High School marching band to Washington, D.C., next month to play in the inaugural parade for President-elect Barack Obama.

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Jamin Burton

YOU CAN HELP

Those wishing to donate to the band's trip can make donations at any Wells Fargo branch to the account labeled "Knights Music Boosters." Or they can write checks to:

Colony High School

Attn: Knights Music Boosters

9550 E. Colony Schools Drive

Palmer 99645

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As director of the band, Burton knows the trip would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students. But the cost is steep.

Burton expects the tab to be around $80,000 to get the 46 students, five adult chaperones and associated equipment like trombones, cymbals and tubas from Alaska to Washington, D.C., for the Jan. 20 event.

Burton also knows he's on a tight deadline.

For planning purposes, he said he needs to have the money in hand by Friday. As of Monday, he said he's raised about $25,000.

"We knew when we started this it's a long shot, but we can say at least we gave it our best and tried," he said.

Burton said he also has to wrap up other details like securing an official invitation to the event.

But, he said, if he can get the money, he thinks he will be able to make that happen.

He said he's already been in touch with Democratic Party officials about going to the event. The original idea for going to the parade actually started after Gov. Sarah Palin was tapped by Sen. John McCain to be his running mate on the Republican ticket, he said.

People started talking to him then about how cool it would be if McCain and Palin won and the band could play in the inaugural parade.

Burton said he told supporters the high school band has to be politically neutral so he would support playing in the parade no matter who won.

According to Burton, the band at Colony High is the only active high school marching band in the state, and does regular performances, including halftime shows at football games.

The school also has four other bands: symphonic, jazz, concert and drum line.

Band members have previously taken other trips out of state including a jaunt to New York in 2007 to play in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and a trip to Washington, D.C., in 2006 for the National Independence Day Parade.

Find S.J. Komarnitsky online at adn.com/contact/skomarnitsky or call 352-6714.

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