Schools
Marching Hawks to Sell Pine Straw
Last year, Hillgrove students sold 300 bales for money to be used toward their band fees.
student Julia Fortenberry says she always gets a good response when she sells pine straw as a way to raise money to go toward her band fees.
“Everyone uses that in their front yard,” the 16-year-old said. "It’s kind of a necessity.”
Fortenberry, a junior, has participated in the pine straw fundraiser for the last three years.
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Fortenberry’s mother, Mary, is heading up the fundraiser this year and said it’s one of the easiest fundraisers the band sponsors. Band members sell the pine straw for $4.40 per bale, and $1 of each bale is applied to the students’ band fees, which cover equipment, travel to competitions, additional instructors, instrument repair, music and uniforms.
West Cobb Pine Straw, which supplies the bales, will deliver for free to locations in Cobb and Paulding counties.
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“It’s something that people are going to buy anyway,” Mary Fortenberry said. “Most people put pine straw in their yard or mulch, one of the two.”
Last year was the first time Fortenberry organized the pine straw fundraiser, and she says students sold 300 bales of pine straw.
There are 165 students in the marching band and 240 students in the concert band class.
The pine straw fundraiser ends on Oct. 7, and deliveries will be made between Oct. 17-21. Payments can be made at the school or through mail at P.O. Box 1435, Powder Springs, GA 30127.
Julia Fortenberry said participating in the band and activities like the pine straw sale are important. The band enabled her to make friends at band camp before she started her freshman year, she added.
As a freshman and sophomore, she played trombone; this year, she’s a member of the color guard.
“I was like, 'I know people! I’m a cool freshman!'” Fortenberry said. “The band is so much fun. It gives you a group of friends.”
In addition to cultivating friendships, it also teaches students about time management, said Fortenberry, who has practice on Tuesdays from 6 to 9 p.m.
“I know after school, I have from 3:30 to 6 to get this done. I need to get this done right now otherwise I won’t have time to do it when I get home,” she said.
Other fundraisers the band participates in are Chili’s Night; selling Buffalo Wild Wings tickets, lollipops and discount cards to Stevi B’s; busing tables at Stevi B’s; and the Taste of West Cobb event.