Hazelwood West Band and Orchestra Get One Step Closer to May Branson Trip

The orchestra and band are on their way to Branson, MO, and their seventh annual yard sale fundraiser on Saturday helped them to get one step closer.

The students asked parents and community members to donate their gently used items to the cause, and on Friday, the students priced and prepared the items for sale.

Several students and a few parents arrived before 7 a.m. on Saturday to set up and work the sale, which was held in front of.

“It’s basically a yard sale to raise money for the trip we’re taking to Branson in May,” said freshman Brytaney Carr. “We’ll play in two concerts and tour Branson and go to Dixie Stampede and stuff like that. I’m excited about it.”

Orchestra director Beth Schmiedeke, who organized the sale, said the groups did pretty well with their sales.

“We’ve had a constant flow of people since 7 a.m., even though we actually opened at 8 a.m.,” Schmiedeke said. “We did a lot of sales early in the day.”

She said that the band has been doing the event for seven years, and while she’s pleased that they still get a lot of donations every year, it’s a great fundraiser because it doesn’t cost anything.

“It’s really easy to do because it’s free,” Schmiedeke said. “It’s not like we’re putting a lot of money into it. It’s purely raising money for the kids, going straight to their accounts.”

Schmiedeke said the band and orchestra have a really positive support system at Hazelwood West High School.

“The teachers and staff really support us, and we do whatever we can to make sure the kids get the full opportunities they deserve,” she said. “That’s what I’m here to do.”

She said the kids will be doing a lot of activities on their trip, including performing at Silver Dollar City and in the lobby of Dixie Stampede, as well as enjoying several tourist activities.

“I like to keep the kids busy so they stay out of trouble,” Schmiedeke said. “After the performances, we will do Dixie Stampede and eat dinner there and see the show, and we’re going to do Silver Dollar City that day.”

She said the band will also go to the Landing, an outdoor shopping mall, and see The Haygoods, a family group that owns its own theatre, perform. The band and orchestra also have several other tourist activities on their agenda for the trip.

If parents are concerned about sending their kids on the trip, Schmiedeke said they should know that she has never had trouble with band or orchestra students on these trips.

“I’ve been doing this since '04, and I have never had one problem,” she said. “The kids are so respectful and they know my expectations, so they usually think twice before making a bad choice because they don’t want to mess with me.”

“We all have a respect for each other,” she said.

Freshman cellist Michael Crawford said this will be his first trip with the orchestra.

“I’m actually pretty excited about it,” Crawford said. “I think she (Schmiedeke) has it planned out pretty nice, and I like how we’re fundraising to make money for our trip.”

Along with Schmiedeke, band director Aaron Jackson and a group of parents will help to chaperone the trip, which is scheduled for May 11-13. Jackson wasn't able to attend the sale on Saturday as he was at a competition with part of the band.

Correction: The Haygoods are a theatrical performing family, according to the group website. They are not a country music fiddle group.