The band is holding a capital campaign fundraiser to replace its 37-year old trailer, “The Beast,” which they purchased used in 2007. People can donate money directly to the band, and the goal is to raise $180,000 by February.

“[It’s] a significant amount of money,” head director Andy Sealy said. “Right now, we’re trying to set the bar high and see how we can support this project over time. We’re trying to get it done [quickly,] so we can raise the funds to have the flexibility to get what we want out of it.” 

The previous trailer was built in 1987, meaning the trailer was 20 years old when it was bought by the band, and it has been used at the school for another 17 years. The trailer required repairs in order to be road-legal, which would cost upwards of $40,000. The Band Booster Club decided purchasing a new trailer would be more cost-efficient, instead of repairing the trailer that was predicted to only last another five years after repairs.

“It just wasn’t a decision we could make any differently,” vice president of operations Jason Waite said. “We wanted to do right by the band, [and] we wanted to do right by the financial standing of this organization moving into the future.” 

The old trailer cannot be used without repairs; instead, the band has been using three rental trailers to transport equipment for the marching season. They customized parts of the rental trailers, including a lift to fit their instruments and an upper deck to store instruments. The additional trailers also add about 33% to transportation costs.

“We’re having to replan and refit our vehicles,” Sealy said “It’s much more time consuming doing it this way compared to what we were used to with our old method. We have to change our method and our structure temporarily until we’re able to make a purchase.”

The initial cost of a trailer is about $70,000, while customizations may add up to about $80,000, putting the total cost at $150,000. For the new trailer, the band is looking to invest in interior and exterior lighting, self-sufficient power systems, a hydraulic upper deck, uniform racks, color guard flag drawers and a full-width foldable ramp, as well as a custom wrap on the outside.  

“Since I’m a senior, I’m not going to be able to see and use the new trailer,” loading crew captain Parker Crane-Finch said. “It is cool to think that the trailer that I always knew in previous years, the trailer that stood up for so long, is going to get replaced and we’re going to see a brand new version of it. It will make the lives of kids and parents after me easier.”

On top of the capital campaign fundraiser, the band is also relying on corporate sponsorships, match pot donations and its alumni network to raise money. In order to have the trailer for the next marching season, the band would have to meet its goal by February; otherwise, they would have to continue using rental trailers next marching season.

“It’s a lot of work and we want to work hard,” Waite said. “We know it’s good work, and we believe in it, so we’re going to do that work and get that trailer done.”

The band is also working with graphic designers and has some preliminary designs for the wrap of the trailer. Companies who donate a certain amount of money can get their business name printed on the sides or back of the trailer.

“[The trailer is] a community centerpiece,” Waite said. “It’s a representation of the Hebron band at competitions and football games. When that trailer arrives in the lot, people notice. That’s something we didn’t have this year.”