Since 2007, donors have contributed nearly $1.5 million to the Pride Travel Fund. (WVU Photo)
Nearly 600 donors contributed $92,000 to the West Virginia University Foundation's Pride Travel Fund this fall to support the Mountaineer Marching Band.
The yearly fundraising effort was established to reduce travel expenses for the band, which include hotels, transportation, and food for more than 350 members and staff.
“We sincerely thank every donor who was able to contribute to the campaign this year,” said Mountaineer Marching Band Director Stephen Lytle. “The students take seriously their responsibility as representatives of their school and state and look forward to performing beyond our campus. Traveling with such a large organization takes a significant amount of resources to cover costs of transportation, lodging, and food for many people.”
With the financial assistance of private donors, the University and the WVU Athletic Department, The Pride was able to travel across the state this fall for performances in the Wheeling 250th Anniversary Parade and the Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival in Charleston. Additionally, the funding efforts will help support the band in its travel to Atlanta in September 2020 for WVU’s season opening football game against Florida State, along with additional appearances during the trip.
Since 2007, donors have contributed nearly $1.5 million to the Pride Travel Fund. The contributions have enabled the band over the years to travel to away games at Auburn, Syracuse, Connecticut, Cincinnati, LSU, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Oklahoma and Marshall. In 2016, the band traveled to New York City to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. In 2017, the band traveled to Landover, Maryland, in support of the Mountaineers as they took on Virginia Tech. In 2018, the band traveled to Charlotte for the season opener against the University of Tennessee and made several other appearances as ambassadors for the University and state.
“Thank you to all of the donors who supported this year’s Pride Travel Fund. The generosity from our donors allows the Pride of West Virginia to make special trips across the state and region,” said Mary Esposito, who oversaw the campaign for the Foundation.
Anyone interested in contributing to the Pride Travel Fund may still do so by contacting WVU Foundation, 304.284.4000, or www.PrideTravelFund.com.
-WVU-
gf/12/12/19
CONTACT: Mary Esposito
Director, Annual Fund
WVU Foundation
304.284.4016; mesposito@wvuf.org
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