Funds being accepted for Fostoria band trip

FOSTORIA — Fostoria Junior/Senior High School musicians are planning to hit the road again in 2026.Fostoria's Redmen Pride Marching Band won several awards with its participation in the 2022 Liberty Bowl activities in Memphis, and hopes are high for April of next year when the concert band travels to perform at the Smoky Mountain Music Festival in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. "We participated in this same festival in 2019 and were awarded a superior rating," Fostoria Director of Bands Steve Kauffman said in an email. "The trip also includes a clinic at the University of Tennessee with Dr. Michael Stewart, the director of the Pride of the Southland UT Marching Band, (as well as) a guided tour of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and a visit to Cherokee, North Carolina."The band is seeking financial help to defray the costs of the trip. It recently received $2,000 from the Fostoria-based Joseph Wolph Foundation for Music Education. Kauffman said donations collected currently amount to $7,900, which has reduced the cost for each student by more than $150. He said $24,000 in donations were received for the 2022 Liberty Bowl trip.Donation checks may be made payable to the Fostoria Music Boosters and mailed to Kauffman's attention at Fostoria Junior/Senior High School, 1001 Park Ave., Fostoria, OH 44830. A variety of donation levels have been established:"Black Bear," $249 or less, includes being listed in all concert programs for 2025-26;"Cade's Cove," $250-$499, includes being listed in all concert programs and on the band's tour shirt;"Newfound Gap," $500-$999, includes program and shirt listings, verbal thank-yous at the end of all football halftime shows and on the FETV broadcasts of band concerts;"Kuwohi," $1,000 or more, includes program listings, listing at the top of the tour shirts and before the halftime shows and FETV broadcasts.Anyone looking to have a name listed on the tour shirts or announced during the football season must have their donations in by Aug. 12.