EL DORADO -- The El Dorado High School band has been invited to march in the 2020 Memorial Day parade in Washington, D.C.
The band was nominated by Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.
"The National Memorial Day Parade honors the men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect American freedoms, and I know El Dorado High School's marching band will be a worthy addition to the 2020 parade," Westerman said. "They have received many prestigious awards over the past few years, making them a top-ranked marching band" in Westerman's 4th Congressional District, which covers most of south and western Arkansas.
Band director Rob Kloap said he's meeting with an experienced grant writer to reach out to foundations to help pay for the trip. In addition, he's planning on working with the students on some fundraisers in which they can participate, and the band parents are identifying some fundraisers they can do as well.
Kloap said he will start working on the music with the students after Christmas this year. He said the parade is about 10 blocks long, about the same as the Christmas and homecoming parades in El Dorado.
"We'll start rehearsing the marching, rehearsing the music and getting it all memorized and learned," he said.
The parade will take place on Monday, May 25, on historic Constitution Avenue and will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. The parade will be livestreamed at americanveteranscenter.org.
Metro on 06/22/2019