Anonymous donor provides $10,000 to band students

Old Bridge High School still needs $40,000 for a trip to Washington D.C. on July 4

BY THOMAS CASTLES
Staff Writer

OLD BRIDGE — A $10,000 donation from an Old Bridge High School (OBHS) alumnus who wishes to remain anonymous has put the OBHS Marching Band a step closer to a spot on the national stage.

New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone nominated the OBHS Marching Band to play this year at the July 4 Independence Day Parade on Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C.

Members of the marching band accepted the nomination, but were disconcerted by the price tag that came along with the visit, according to band director Melissa Bolger.

“We have about a hundred kids going on this trip, and it’s going to cost us close to $50,000 to get them there,” she said.

Even after a $100 payment from each marching-band student, the class was still dauntingly far away from its $50,000 goal.

The anonymous $10,000 donation put quite a bit of pep in their marching step.

Assistant Superintendent Dave Cittadino said that he recently came to know the donor.

“He would rather remain anonymous because he would like the story to focus on the kids rather than on him,” he said.

Though he could not release a name, Cittadino said that the man was a graduate of Madison Township High School [in Old Bridge], class of 1975.

Cittadino said the donor told him that if there was anything he could do to help the students of his alma mater, he was only a phone call or email away.

“I didn’t want to put all of the weight of this trip on the parents and the students, so I thought of what he had said to me and sent him an email at about 11:30 p.m. By 9:30 a.m. the following day, he had replied and inquired as to how much we needed for the trip and sent me $10,000 the day after,” Cittadino said.

The assistant superintendent said the anonymous donor is a Florida resident who frequently gives to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

“He’s a stand-up guy and we’re proud that he’s an Old Bridge alumnus and a man of his word. He made a promise to the kids at OBHS and he stood by it,” said Cittadino. “We know that the OBHS band will make him proud in Washington, D.C.”

Bolger said the administration has been supportive in helping to come up with fundraising ideas, making the big ticket price less of a stressor.

“We’re going to get [the kids to D.C.] one way or another,” said Bolger. “We might have to fundraise like crazy and do a couple big pasta nights but we’re going to make this happen for the kids.”

The band director said in her seven years in the position, she has never seen a more motivated class.

“These are some of the most positive students I could ever ask for. They’re the hardest-working kids I’ve ever seen. All of them are very dedicated to rehearsals, and spend extra time outside of practice to rehearse,” she said.

Bolger also attributed some of the students’ success to her team of 10 staff members.

The marching band “has a lot of help. Our staff members have a high level of expertise, so between the kids being motivated and the extreme talent among assistant band directors, we’re a lucky group,” Bolger said.

Contact Tom Castles at [email protected].