101 years ago, the Ooltewah High School Band was created, and for over a century has been a centerpiece of high school life in Ooltewah, for students, parents and the community.
For nearly 40 years, the Ooltewah High School Band Boosters have been working side by side with the band to promote high standards and ideals of music appreciation and to assist Ooltewah High School in promoting music education and the activities of the band and color guard.
One of their main goals since their creation was make it so that no student has to pay to be in the band. Which is a challenge, as the band does not receive funding from Hamilton County Schools. Which, combined with the creation of the East Hamilton High School, less than 10 miles from the Ooltewah campus, the ongoing pandemic, and several large groups of band members graduating, it becomes harder and harder to survive and grow to what they once were.
The program has been a staple in the community for many, many years. This is in large part to the students but also former band director Joel Denton and current director Dr. Timothy Ellison, along with the invaluable help of program coordinator James Smith, whose designs and showmanship are unmatched.
The Boosters spend a lot of time and effort making the shows work. From driving the moving trucks that contain show and equipment, putting up props on the field and moving them back of the field all in a certain time limit, to running the concession stand on Friday nights.
And the OHS Band has played far beyond Ooltewah. They have been featured in parades all over the country including at Disney, in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, and most recently in The Rose Bowl Parade in California.
The boosters are rightfully proud of the heritage of the band, but they need your help. They have to buy rights to all their music (of which some can be rather expensive and only valid for a set amount of time). The build the props needed every year. They have to maintain our own practice field. The paint for the field costs money as well (they use as much as 10 gallons to paint, depending on the size of the show).
Along with several annual fundraising events, the students also get involved, raising money with car washes during the summer, a car show each September, and a wreath sale in early November, which are then donated to a retirement home close to OHS campus helping the make center festive for the winter holidays.
If you would like to help the Ooltewah High School Band Boosters in their efforts, you can contact them through email at ohsbandpresident@gmail.com, or Venmo them a donation @ohsbandboosters21 (verification code-6460).