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Dighton-Rehoboth band trying to raise funds for a very important trip

Jeffrey D. Wagner Correspondent
The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School band has been invited to play for President Barack Obama in Washington's July 4 parade.

DIGHTON — A mysterious mayor and an excellent performance have led to the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School marching band receiving an invitation to play for President Barack Obama and other national dignitaries in Washington’s July 4 parade.

Now, the band is seeking donations so it can make the once-in-a-lifetime trip to Washington, D.C., and represent Massachusetts, playing before the president. The only thing standing in the way is $20,000 to $40,000 to cover the trip’s cost.

Director Doug Kelley, a 22-year band director, said he has never received an invitation of this magnitude before. He and Dighton Selectman Patrick Menges called the honor “rare.”

The process that led to D-R’s band being named was perhaps even more rare.

Kelley said a mayor from a Massachusetts city saw the band play last year and was wowed by the performance. This mayor, who asked the Washington, D.C., parade authorities to keep his name a secret, filmed the D-R band, filled out an application and sent it to Washington.

D-R was chosen to represent the state out of a pool of 180 schools. Each of the 50 states will have one band representing it.

Kelley marveled at the fact that he has never even seen the DVD. “Whatever (the judges) saw from us, they must have loved,” Kelley said.

After a mystery that lasted for weeks, Kelley finally discovered the identity of the mysterious mayor — Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye Jr.

Hoye had also nominated Taunton High School, which he said also received the nod to play in Washington, D.C., but declined it due to another commitment.

“I think we are so lucky we have so many talented band leaders in the area,” Hoye said.

He praised the marching bands from both schools. “Doug Kelley has done a fantastic job at Dighton-Rehoboth over the years. He built it from the ground up” Hoye said.

With that mystery resolved, Kelley and his students are now focused on paying for the trip.

“We are halfway across the river in a canoe without a paddle,” Kelley said. “We couldn’t pass on it, yet we didn’t have the funds.”

Kelley said news of the invitation came after the band raised money for a trip to Walt Disney World in Florida. Because of that trip, raising funds for D.C. has become a very big obstacle for the band.

He said the band needs to raise $40,000 between now and July. Kelley said if the band could raise more than $20,000 through non-events, he believes the band could raise the rest through regular fundraising events.

They will continue to hold car washes, dinners and other traditional fundraising means to get closer to their goal, Kelley said.

If they reach their goal, the students will fly from Orlando to Baltimore. After the parade, the students will take a bus home to save money.

Kelley said a bus company has given him a favorable quote.

He said he has talked with the selectmen in both communities, who have been very generous and have offered fundraising advice. He has also visited with state legislators, who have also been very generous.

People interested in donating can send checks to: Friends of the Dighton-Rehoboth Marching Band, 2700 Regional Road, North Dighton, MA 02764.