Courtesy photo Holy Name Catholic School is pleased to be the recipient of a $5,000 donation, to be used to bring back the Holy Name Band Program, from Escanaba residents and longtime HNCS supporters Ken and Patricia Gartland. Pictured is Ken Gartland (center) handing the $5,000 check to Principal Nathan VandeHey. To the right is Father Fran DeGroot, Pastor of St. Anne Catholic Parish, one of supporting parishes of Holy Name. Father DeGroot holds a clarinet that was also given to the school by a generous donor.

ESCANABA – A local school is working to get its band back together after a 20-plus-year hiatus.

Holy Name Catholic School in Escanaba announced a fundraiser roughly three weeks ago to restart and revamp the Holy Name band program. Principal Nathan Vande Hey said the goal is to raise $80,000, and the school is nearly halfway there as funds sit at approximately $36,000.

“We’ve had a tremendous response,” Vande Hey said.

He said that he and the staff looked into the history of the Holy Name band and discovered the last time the school had an in-house band was in 1997.

Currently, the band students at Holy Name are participating in the Escanaba Public School band, which is excellent but can be logistically challenging.

“We’re very grateful to Escanaba for having us for all these years, but it’s really kind of got to a point where we feel like we just need to have our own program,” he explained.

Vande Hey couldn’t give an exact number but said he expects those interested in band, 5th to 12th grade, to be a firm, healthy number.

He added it would be ideal to have the program up and running for the 2025-2026 school year, dependent on funding, donations, and other logistics.

The target amount of $80,000 covers the needed instruments, equipment and the salary for a band director for two years. He added that 27 percent of families at Holy Name indicated they would need some financial assistance for renting instruments; luckily, the community is already working to address those needs.

“We’re taking donations; we have a trombone already donated, and we have a clarinet donated. So, if we have good to excellent condition instruments that people just have sitting there, not being used, we’re willing to take those and work with Jim’s (Music) and get them up to snuff, and then we can get them to the kids that would be in need, financially speaking,” he explained.

The program is basically starting from scratch, and Vande Hey is open to any instrument that fits the program’s needs.

“Somebody had mentioned to me about a saxophone; great, we’re open to anything,” he said.

Staff found a Holy Name bass drum from the 1960s to the 1970s, but it’s more suited as a decorative piece in its condition.

The school announced the fundraiser three weeks ago, and with nearly half of the goal met, Vande Hey is confident the program will not only come to fruition but set the groundwork for the longevity of the program.

“I don’t want to go into a program underfunded; I want to be able to make sure we got two years to kind of build that sustainability. So I think the 80,000 goal is really going to be important,” Vande Hey said.

He spoke to the importance of the school having a band program, saying it gives students the chance to explore another skill.

“We want to give them plenty of experience so that way they can really develop a full appreciation of the beauty that God’s got in store for the world. In particular, music is one of the most beautiful ways to do that, in my opinion,” he explained.

In addition to the already donated funds, the community is showing up to support the program at Holy Name.

“I’ve had a number of people that came out of the woodworks since we made the announcement that are just like, I’ll do whatever it takes, I love band,” he said.

To donate to Holy Name, visit holynamecrusaders.com/support-our-annual-drive.

Visitors to the site can read a letter from Vande Hey and choose to make a one-time donation or a monthly donation.

“Escanaba is a vibrant musical city. Music brings out beauty that directs us to God. Your support can make this happen for the Holy Name community. Please pray for us in this endeavor as we work to ‘get the band back together’ so we can continue to fulfill the mission of God,” Vande Hey stated in his letter.

Vande Hey and the company extend a message of gratitude to the community including the Kobasic Foundation, Ken and Patrica Gartland and others for donations that are making the dream of bringing back the Holy Name band a reality.

“Just a big thank you. I think those that have done it (band) know the value in it, and I just think it’s just a super opportunity,” he said.

He also recognized Escanaba Public School for working with Holy Name to give students an opportunity to participate in band.

“We’re in this together in this community to have great kids, virtuous kids. So, just a thank you to them just to say we’re so appreciative of what they’ve been able to do for us,” he said.

To learn more about Holy Name or to donate, visit www.holynamecrusaders.com.