by Brooke Wright

NEWS Intern

Lamon Hubbs recalls being asked to haul the Clinton County High School band equipment trailer to the regional basketball tournament by band director Doug Sell in 2014. Hubbs asked Randy Speck to go with him, and the pair worried that the band trailer holding the student’s equipment wouldn’t make the drive. Hubbs said this concern, along with the state of the band’s instruments, set in motion the start of the alumni band organization.

“I knew we had a band that sounded good,” Hubbs said. “They just didn’t look good.”

The students had duct tape on their instruments and the music stands were peeling paint and falling apart. Hubbs said he and Speck talked about many ways they could help the band with their need for new equipment and music.

“We thought we would try to get a few people like me and Randy to create a fundraising group,” Hubbs said.

The alumni band got its start in 2014 with the creation of a 501c3 form. This means that it is a nonprofit organization and tax exempt because of its charitable donations to the Clinton County band program.

Hubbs said they found their first big donation on the website, govdeals.com, where government agencies and schools sell equipment.

“Two weeks into it, we found a set of pearl drums for $125,” Hubbs said.

With the help of other members and donors, Hubbs managed to pull enough money together to bid on the drums and win the auction. Hubbs said buying the pearl drum set was the group’s first big event.

“Our whole mission statement is the Clinton County Alumni Band are a fundraising organization for the Clinton County band program and its director,” Hubbs said.

The alumni band also has its gaming exemption, which they waited three years for, Hubbs said. With the exemption, the alumni band can do raffles to raise money for the student band program.

“We do at least three raffles a year,” Hubbs said. “We sell batteries right before Christmas, and everything we make goes right back to the band program.”

As a bonus, Hubbs said the alumni band gets to play music too. The group practices once a week to prepare for events they perform at as well as to have fun.

“We always have fun when we’re practicing,” Hubbs said. “We do a Christmas and spring concert and play at the Foothills Festival every year. Last year we hosted the Kentucky Classic Orchestra, which was a fun experience. We also fill in for the high school band if they are unable to attend something.”

Hubbs said he enjoys having fun directing the alumni band, but that isn’t his favorite thing about the organization.

“What I enjoy most is being around the kids,” he said. “I love seeing how much they enjoy music and the program.”

Randy Speck said he enjoys seeing the students’ faces when they play a new instrument.

“I love seeing the new music stands and new horns,” he said. “It’s really gratifying to see the band as they are today.”

Speck said the alumni band works together to help the band program be successful.

“The program means that we’re able to give something back to the community,” he said. “We’re so thrilled we’re able to do what we do and play at the same time.”

Gary Little, a local attorney and member of the alumni band, said he also enjoys working with the students.

“We get to help the young people,” he said. “We raise money for their benefit, and we get to play music we wouldn’t normally play. It’s something we do as a team.”

Like Speck, Little said the alumni band allows the organization to connect with the community and with the school band students.

“Everybody has been supportive of us,” Little said. “So we are able to do lots of things.”

So far, the alumni band has provided the student band program with the previously mentioned set of pearl drums, a baritone saxophone, a tenor saxophone, a bass clarinet, new music stands, tons of new music, a timpani, chimes and a new percussion cabinet, among many other things.

The alumni band invites all players to come and practice with them since members don’t have to be from Clinton County to join. The alumni band practice every Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the band room at the high school.