PRIDE of PCHS Band Recovery From Hurricane IAN

On September 28th F Building at Port Charlotte High School, which is where our band room and all of our equipment is located, was hit hard by Hurricane Ian and sustained a significant amount of damage. As of now, the extent of the damage to our instruments, flags, and uniforms is not known as it will take some time to obtain an inventory and assessment for the cost to repair and/or replace what is needed.

The PRIDE of Port Charlotte band program has been an extremely successful competitive band in Port Charlotte, Florida, for almost 40 years. We use PRIDE as an acronym to summarize our standards we established for ourselves. The acronym stands for Prepared, Responsible, Integrity, Discipline, and Energy. The trophies that used to line the interior walls of the band room are now occupying over 60 boxes in storage pods. Before the storm, the Marching Band, made up of over 80 students, had been practicing multiple days per week since before school even started in August to learn their 2022 competitive show to be judged at Districts on October 29th. Due to the storm and the resulting inability to locate and repair/replace what we need coupled with the short time left to practice, the band is not going to be able to compete this season. The decision was not made lightly but it is the realization we had to accept.

Our goal now is to re-establish and rebuild this program. The band room is home to the kids involved and to those who are alumni of the band. The trophies are reminders of the success this program has had and the PRIDE that accompanies having participated in the program. The uniforms we wear signify that we are a family and the music that our students play links us together as one.

We don’t know what our financial needs are going to be when everything is accounted for and things are settled but we do know that insurance will not cover everything and we are asking for help. The goal for our request is set at one dollar because we do not want to ask for more than we need and we just cannot put a number to that at this point in time.

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without” – Confucius

Thank you in advance for your consideration to assist us,

Corey Hoeben, Director of Bands and the Board of Directors, Port Charlotte High School Band Boosters