UIL State Marching Band Contest a Wish Come True
Media Contact: Kim Rogers
Phone: 512-471-5883
Fax: 512-471-6589
Email:
Date: Oct 30, 2008
Category: Music
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUSTIN, TX— Cancer survivor Alec Gramann and his Austin LBJ High School band mates will march at the 2008 UIL State Marching Band Contest as a result of a wish granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & South Texas will grant a heartfelt wish for 17-year-old Alec Gramann from Austin, who has wished to have his “high school marching band to perform at the UIL State Marching Band Competition.”
In celebration of this wish, and through the generosity of the University Interscholastic League and the volunteer coordination of UIL State Director of Music Richard Floyd, who is making Alec’s wish possible, the Austin Lyndon B. Johnson High School Band will perform an exhibition at the UIL State Marching Band Contest at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Monday afternoon.
Gramann’s strong bond with his Lyndon B. Johnson High School band members, who he refers to as his extended family, led him to make the decision that he would like to involve them in his most heartfelt wish. Gramann is a senior drum major for the Jaguar Band. After not qualifying to compete at the UIL State Marching Band Contest in 2007, Alec asked Make-A-Wish Volunteers if he could conduct his Jaguar Band in an exhibition performance at the UIL State Marching Band Contest before he graduates in May 2009.
Because this year is a year for only Conference 3A and 5A bands to advance to the State Marching Band Contest, Austin LBJ High School would not have been eligible to compete at that level. Austin LBJ High School is currently in District 26-4A.
“Nationwide, we at Make-A-Wish chapters are identifying a trend in qualified Wish Children wishing to ‘give’ to others,” said Tammy Shaklee, President & CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Central & South Texas. “Alec is our area’s first Wish Kid who exemplifies this generosity to wanting his wish to bless others as well.”
“We are pleased to be able to help grant a wish for such a deserving individual as Alec by allowing the Austin LBJ band to perform at the State Marching Band Contest this year,” said UIL State Director of Music Richard Floyd. "His desire to share his wish with his fellow band members is a shining example of the powerful role that music can and does play in the lives of our youth."
The Austin LBJ band will perform immediately following the Conference 3A Preliminaries at the State Marching Band Contest at 3:45 p.m. on Monday, November 3 at the Alamodome.
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