The saying, “alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much,” comes to mind when thinking of the West Virginia University Alumni Band.
Since 1969, alumni of the Mountaineer Marching Band have been extending their band experience beyond the college years by joining the Alumni Band, which provides social and musical activities for its members. Originally started by former band members who wanted to play together once more, the Alumni Band has grown over the last 50 years to include thousands of members.
While WVU Homecoming Weekend is the Alumni Band’s pinnacle tradition, it is a year-round organization with two Pep Band chapters and its members supporting efforts by Emeritus Director Don Wilcox to facilitate a traveling Tour Band. WVU band alumni have an established record of supporting the organization and the broader institution, whether through volunteer service, season tickets, or financial donations, and this contributes to the vitality and stability of WVU, the WVU Band and the Alumni Band.
Most recently, the Alumni Band committed to helping WVU fundraise $500,000 for the Pride of West Virginia’s Practice Facility, which will include a turf field, a pavilion, lighting and sound systems, and climate-controlled storage for instruments and uniforms.
The campaign kicked off during WVU’s Day of Giving 2019, when the Alumni Band made a $10,000 match gift. That match gift played a major part in the record-breaking, one-day fundraising efforts which saw more than 350 donations come in for the practice facility, totaling more than $117,000.
“We are thankful to our alumni band members, friends and community for their support of our fundraising efforts,” said Mary Lechliter King, president of WVU Alumni Band and 1983-85 Pride of West Virginia member. “We look forward to continuing to work with WVU Foundation as we kick off more fundraising initiatives to help toward our ultimate goal of building a beautiful practice facility for the Mountaineer Marching Band.”
The WVU Alumni Band’s support has been critical to the success of the Pride of West Virginia. To further the Alumni Band’s impact, visit give.wvu.edu/music.