There's still time to aid school band
Recently, the Yuma Sun told of the opportunity we have to help send the Gadsden Elementary School marching band to perform in the New Year’s day parade in London, England. Most of the people who will enjoy that parade do not even know where Arizona is. What an honor for all of Yuma County!
How proud we should be that in our own county we have children of grammar school age and teachers and parents who have the dedication and stamina to work, study and practice daily to earn the invitation to participate in London for all of Europe to witness (through television and personal attendance).
The invitation to perform in London was delivered in person by the former lord mayor of the London Borough of Westminister to the Gadsden school district office. From the whole United States of America there were only 10 schools invited. Now that’s a true honor to the school, to the kids, to the teachers, to the parents and to all of us who live in Yuma County — an honor earned by the hard work of those students, teachers and parents.
There remains one last hurdle: Money.
The parents and chaperones have already agreed to pay their own way. They have also agreed, along with the band members, to raise $3,000 for each of the 100 band members who will make the trip. That makes $300,000. According to the newspaper article, they had already raised $80,000.
There is still a lot to go and the time draws near!
The time has come for us who live and work in Yuma County to show our appreciation for the efforts and accomplishments of these great people by making a small contribution to the cause. Wouldn’t it be a shameful thing if these worthy and accomplished kids could not make this trip because our community failed to support them? We must not fail them! Then what do we do?
If 30,000 of the more than 200,000 people who live in Yuma County pitched in $7.50, we’d have $225,000. If 22,000 of us pitched in a $10 bill, we’d have $220,000. That seems easy enough doesn’t it? The idea is for many of us to make a small contribution, then nobody has to kick in a lot and we get the job done.
But there is still another way: The state of Arizona permits us to make a contribution of up to $200 to this cause, as well as to other similar causes, and reduce our Arizona state income tax payment by that amount.
If husband and wife are filing jointly, you may make a greater contribution and take a greater offset. If you consider this method of helping these kids, please contact your tax adviser for expert tax advice, then write a check and mail it.
Whichever way you choose to help, please send your contribution of whatever amount feels comfortable to you to:
Gadsden Elementary School District
P.O. Box 6870,
San Luis, AZ 85349
Thanks for taking the time to read this appeal.
Joe Montoya
Yuma
