A little band history, our school has been open since 1985 and in that time, we have seen a lot of
students and band directors. Currently Greg Mills is our director with 180 students enrolled in the band
program. These students put in 15+ hour days between school and band practice. They even volunteer for
our fundraisers to help in any way possible. They have games, competitions, concerts, all sorts of things.
And of course, all that costs money. Money for uniform cleaning, instrument upkeep, entrance fees for
competitions, 18-wheeler trailer maintenance to get our props and instruments everywhere. The list goes
on and on, as you can imagine.
As part of the booster club we oversee raising funds to help with the hidden costs that come with
running a great band program. We hold many fundraisers and try our best to come up with fun unique
ideas. We are hosting our first annual “Make It Happen” car show. It will be held in the William Howard
Taft High School (11600 Culebra Rd, 78253) parking lot on Saturday March 26,2022, from
1100am-3pm.
We are asking anyone who is willing to show off the thing they love to help us raise money for the
thing our students love. We are looking for as many cars as possible to help ensure a great show, that can
turn into great things for the band. The funds we raise with this car show will go to the purchase of a new
trailer.
Our trailer turned 29 years old this year and as much love and care as we give it, ‘old big red’ as
we call it, is on her last leg. It’s a bit embarrassing rolling up to competitions and seeing schools like John
Jay, Judson, and South San having these hydraulic lifts, and room for all their equipment in 1 truck. We end
up renting 2 additional box trucks, 2 NISD box trucks and have band parents pull 2 more trailers just to
transport everything. It’s a mess and becomes very costly.
However, everything is earned with time and dedication. And with your help and your time, we can
get a little closer our goal. I hope I have persuaded some of you to bring your car and come hang out for a
few hours with the Taft Raider Band on a Saturday afternoon. If anyone has any questions or concerns I
would love to hear them. 940.782.6456.
Respectfully,
JoAnne Smith, Booster President