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The formation of resounding lessons
By JULIE CHURCH, Times Staff Writer
But the 1952 Largo High School graduate sat on another bench -- at Packer Stadium, where he spent countless hours as a volunteer for the Largo High School Band of Gold. Donahey helped lead the band during several Golden Invitational Marching Band Competitions. Donahey assisted band director Bob Cotter, who built the band program to more than 550 students in the mid-1970s and led the Band of Gold to world championships in 1974 and 1978. Until he lost his sight in 1999, Donahey was also the master of ceremonies for the Golden Invitational and many other marching band competitions in the area. Today, the Golden Invitational celebrates its 30th anniversary. It features a smaller Band of Gold: 72 members under the direction of Chris Benoit, who has been with the program for 14 years. Although the band is smaller and the show is different than those performed by the Band of Gold in its heyday, many of the traditions of the championship group still remain. "One of the neat traditions that the kids continue on their own is stopping before each performance to recite the Lord's Prayer and the school alma mater," Benoit said. "We also practice in blue and gold on Thursday nights, which is a tradition started by Mr. Cotter." Many of the students in the Band of Gold today are familiar with the Cotter-era band and its history. Some are second- or third-generation Band of Gold members. "I've heard so many stories about the band growing up," said Michael Seery, a 16-year-old junior. "My dad always seemed to find an analogy to any problem I was having that related to the band. Since I started playing the drums in sixth grade, I knew I wanted to be in the Band of Gold." Michael is a snare drum player and section leader. His father, Tom, 40, was also a drummer and a section leader in the late 1970s. His wife was in the Pinellas Park High School band, and her brother was in the Band of Gold. "We had such a good time in the band, we wanted to share that experience with him," Mr. Seery said. "I wanted him to learn to appreciate the discipline of being in the band that Mr. Cotter and Judge Donahey instilled in us. I wanted him to appreciate looking sharp and standing tall." Donahey, 68, has had no children in the band. The respect and discipline instilled in band members was one of the main reasons he chose to be involved as a volunteer. Donahey was in the drum and bugle corps rather than the band when he was in high school in the 1940s. When he saw the Band of Gold in a 1972 exhibition show at the Orange Bowl in Miami, he was hooked. He showed up at practice one evening and started working with the band. "Being involved with those kids was one of the single greatest experiences of my life," Donahey said. 'They gave so much back to me." Donahey choreographed many of the band's field shows and traveled with the group to world competitions in Kerkarde, Holland. Both he and Cotter, who passed away in 2001, were known as a task masters who demanded an almost military level of discipline from the members of the Band of Gold. "I think we feared Mr. Donahey almost more than Mr. Cotter," Seery said. "He was tough, but we also knew he loved us very much." Together, Cotter, who was known as "The Boss," and Donahey, who was called "Mr. Yellow Pad," built a marching band dynasty known throughout the United States and other parts of the world as tough and talented competitors. In addition, a fundraising group associated with the band in the 1970s raised more than $500,000 for the group for its European travels. The Band of Gold alumni group also is a strong organization. The group's first reunion of all Band of Gold alumni last summer boasted more than 300 attendees. "It was such a great time to catch up and realize that we all share a common body of knowledge," said David Brittain, 46, who was drum major of the band in 1973-74 and is now a commercial real estate attorney in Tampa. "There is no doubt that any of Mr. Cotter and Judge Donahey's students learned to believe in the value of hard work and discipline. It (Band of Gold) is a great part of Largo's history. It's amazing to see what a couple of hundred kids can do if they put their minds to it."
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