Yosemite High School choir
hold fund-raisers
BY KRISTINE ESCOTO - KESCOTO@SIERRASTAR.US

SUBMITTED
The Yosemite High School concert choir during a recent performance hopes to raise funds for performances and uniforms.

Choir introduces YHS badger bobblehead,“Studley.”

The fund-raising season for the Yosemite High School choir has begun. Choir students and parents will hold a yard sale fund-raiser tomorrow [Sept. 18] in the parking lot of the Oakhurst Community College from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The students and parents are selling items to raise funds for upcoming concerts and concert uniforms.

The chamber singers will perform at the Festival of Gold competition in San Francisco, March 17 - 21. The cost per student is approximately $500, which doesn’t include spending money. The concert choir and treble ensemble will compete at the Anaheim Festival, May 13 - 15. The cost per student is $250 each and again, does not include spending money.

Last year the choir department raised and spent $25,000 to pay for uniforms and trips. The amount also includes out-of-pocket expenses.
“We hope to raise funds so the kids don’t have any out-of-pocket expenses this year,” said YHS Choir Director, Dr. Tony Mowrer. “We hope to raise even more this year.”

“We hope to offer scholarships for outstanding music students who are graduating in June and funds would derive from fund-raisers,” Dr. Mowrer said. “Verna Tammen has been great with helping organize fund-raisers and introducing the bobblehead idea.”

Verna Tammen has volunteered to raise funds for the choir program. Her son, J.R. Singer, is a senior, and a choir member, at YHS. “We want to be able to offer these kids music scholarships and uniforms for their performances,” Tammen said. “We need funds to update the choirs uniforms, the beginning choir particularly.”

Tammen has spent her summer helping to design a new item introduced this year - a YHS badger bobblehead called, “Studley.” Studley is a sturdy, well-made bobblehead featuring the YHS mascot; this isn’t your average bobblehead.

Studley will be available in early October at the YHS student store as well as home athletic games.

If sales go well, there will be other models available. Plans are in the works for an athletic department model, academic model and fine arts model. A display model is currently available in the choir room and in the library at YHS. Pre-orders for Studley will be taken at the student store.

“I’m very pleased with Studley,” Dr. Mowrer said. “Everyone we have talked to has liked the idea. The students seem to like him and we are very hopeful that the community will like him as well.”

Upcoming choir fund-raisers include a booth at the Chocolate Festival held Oct. 9 from Highway 41 to Road 426. The booth will be called, “Christmas in October.” Students and parents will sell various types of chocolate cookies and will take orders for fresh, Christmas wreaths, swags, garlands and more.

“If you miss us at the Chocolate Festival, we will also be at the Fall Festival, Oct. 16 at the Oakhurst Community Park,” Tammen said.
The YHS choir department is involved with eScrip.

The program is described as a resource for fundraising where participating business partners contribute a percentage of your grocery loyalty cards, credit card, and debit/ATM card purchases to YHS. Von’s in Oakhurst is a participant of eScrip. Each time you use your card, they donate a percentage, based on the amount of your purchase, to the YHS choir.

The eScrip forms may be obtained from their website, www.escrip.com or at YHS. Raley’s in Oakhurst has a similar program with their own Quality of Life card; information is available at the Raley’s website, www.raleys.com/qualitycard.jsp.

“Von’s and Raley’s have been exceptional,” Dr. Mowrer said.
Electronic Scrip Incorporated (ESI) is a California-based corporation dedicated to establishing relationships between commerce and community to provide resources to organizations and projects that support children. ESI introduced the eScrip program in 1999 and has distributed over $95 million to schools and youth organizations across the country.

“These kids are doing what they can to raise money to attend the concerts,” Tammen said. “It would be great to be able to offer scholarships. These kids work very hard to raise money to attend the concerts and competitions.”

To help with the fund-raiser, donate money, or for general information, contact Dr. Tony Mower at (559) 683-4667 ext. 242 for further information.

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