Make way for the pint-sizedPride.
That campaign to buy new uniforms for West Virginia Universitys renownedPride of West VirginiaMountaineer Marching Band is now at full volumeand these days, everyone on campus is falling into step.
Even the ones who study with Professors Bert and Ernie and take naps after lunch.
Get ready for a joyful noise and a good cause Friday (Sept. 1) as the young charges of WVU s Nursery School march through the Evansdale Campus to raise money for the effort which comes on the eve of the hyped, home football opener against Marshall on Saturday.
Mountaineer mascot Brady Campbell leads the parade, which begins at 1 p.m. Friday at the Nursery School, located near the Evansdale campus behind Kroger on Patteson Drive, in Morgantowns Suncrest neighborhood.
With cymbals, blocks and a bevy of homemade instruments, the youngsters (aged 3-5) will parade through WVU s Towers Residential Complex and all five floors of the newly renovated Allen Hall, bringing along a specialband aidbox to make the donating easy.
The Nursery School Parade is a 16-year football tradition at WVU , said Bobbie Warash, the schools director.
Its just so much fun,she said.We call them thePride of the College of Human Resources and Educations Child Development Studies,even though that names bigger than most of the kids who march in the parade.
Add in the excitement of this seasons contest with in-state Marshall, plus a good fundraising cause, she said, and youve got a drum beat that everyone just cant help but march to.
The idea is that people donate along theparade routeat Allen and Towers,she said.Were hoping to raise $500, which is the cost of one uniform. Its just something we can do for a remarkable band. I mean, all you have to do is hear the cheers on Saturday to know that thePrideis on the field.
Plus, theres one other thing, she said.
Lets just say our students are quite familiar with the term,band aid,Warash deadpanned.Its a staple at the nursery school.
Look for Brady Campbell, the big-peoplePrideand the Mountaineer football team at 5 p.m. that day, also, for the 2006 FanFest rally on the Mountainlair Plaza.
The Nursery School is part of WVU s Child Development Laboratory, which provides practical experience for the Universitys budding preschool teachers and nutritionists in the College of Human Resources and Education and Division of Family and Consumer Sciences.