The Jordan Marching Band is fundraising to replace its 25-year-old current uniforms.
The current uniforms were introduced in 1998 and are the oldest set of uniforms currently being used at the high school. On paper, the band has 115 uniforms for students, but the actual usable number of uniforms is lower because many are too worn and have broken zippers and the plumes are “melting,” among some of the issues. Logan Burnside, band director at the high school, said that they have issues outfitting the students.
“It’s less about the age and more about the uniform stock we have that doesn’t meet the needs of our students,” Burnside said. “There are elements that are falling off and missing, broken zippers; so we’re at the point where, depending upon who is present we may not be able to outfit a student.”
Over the last four years, the band program has been in the process of designing and choosing new uniforms. The new design is a contemporary marching band style. The uniforms are easier for the students to wear, with a lighter fabric than the “robust” fabric of the current uniforms, and are machine washable. Maintenance will also be easier as the closure is simpler and the jackets will no longer be white.
The new uniforms will have a gray and black backdrop with maroon and gold accents. They also have many optional and removable elements to provide versatility to the marching band depending on what is needed. Burnside said that the new uniforms will unlock many opportunities for the band that they don’t currently have.
“I get invitations all the time to be in other parades out of state and currently, we aren’t able to do something like that because of our current uniforms,” Burnside said. “[The new uniforms] would unlock the ability to add that experience on trips we take every two years.”
The estimated life span of the new uniforms is 10-15 years, which was the estimated life span of the current uniforms and typically for uniforms. That number varies based on how much use and care the uniforms receive.
The cost of the uniforms is $70,000 and the band has raised $28,000 already. The funding is through the booster club and is following a similar process to how other band programs would raise money for a project like this.
More information about donations can be found on the band program’s Facebook page. Donations can be brought to the high school as cash or check or done online at https://bit.ly/JHSBandUniforms .
