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Chorus ups tempo of trip fundraising
By SUZANNAH GONZALES, Times Staff Writer
INVERNESS -- World War II happened decades before they were born, and they're just starting to learn about the attack at Pearl Harbor, but students from the Citrus High School Chorus are working toward paying tribute to World War II veterans and Pearl Harbor survivors. Forty-four students are on their way to Hawaii to participate in a weeklong musical salute along with nine other chorus groups and 10 bands from different states. During the first week of June, they'll perform near Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center and shopping centers. But they'll also learn about the Hawaiian culture and World War II, see the USS Arizona Memorial and enjoy the Waikiki beaches. Based on recommendations from state and local music educators, the group was selected to represent Florida in the event. Fifty invitations were sent out -- one to a music group in each state -- and the first 10 choirs and 10 bands that responded could participate. All they need now is about $12,000. By Friday. And then another $12,000 next month. "Then, it's over," said chorus director John Edel. Since the beginning of the school year, they've had all kinds of fundraisers. They've sold candy bars and cheese logs. They've held a carwash, hosted a talent show with the drama department and Christmas dinners. They've solicited sponsors from local businesses and left canisters in shops. They've raised thousands of dollars so far. And aside from fundraisers, the majority of the money already in hand has come from sponsors and out of families' pockets. But with trip costs estimated at about $1,300 per student and the total figure at about $70,000, they're still short. Edel said that some families with more than one person going on the trip -- a family with a set of twins in the chorus or, in another family, one student and an adult chaperone, for example -- are having difficulty paying out of their pockets. "The only thing that's going to help us out right now is the support from the community," Edel said. Chorus president Emily Hooker, a 19-year-old senior at Citrus High, says this trip is not just about going to Hawaii with a group of people that's as close-knit as a family. It's community service, too. The students are making efforts to understand what happened at Pearl Harbor, "even if it wasn't in our generation," Hooker said. They've compiled a list of names of World War II veterans in the county, contacted them and made arrangements to meet with them and listen to their stories. The students plan on making a PowerPoint presentation about what they learn, including in it sound clips of them singing, putting the presentation on CDs and distributing them to local VFWs and the veterans' families. By interacting with the veterans and working on the presentation, which will not be graded, Edel hopes the students will be able to relate to the purpose of the trip. They already have experience with the nation at war because of the current one in Iraq, Edel said, but hearing stories from the World War II servicemen will make it "more real." It seems that some, such as 16-year-old sophomore Kristy Stalbaum, are already getting the point: "What they did was a huge accomplishment." Checks may be made out to Citrus High School Chorus and sent to Citrus High School, to the attention of John Edel, 600 W Highland Blvd., Inverness, FL 34452. -- Suzannah Gonzales can be reached at 860-7312 or sgonzales@sptimes.com.
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