To All Parents And Supporters Of The Cathedral City Bands:

Greetings. I have often spoken to the band students about “Excellence” as the ultimate goal in the Cathedral City Band Program. I would like to share with you what that “Excellence” looks like.

• Our marching band has performed on national television twice in a three-year span. (The 2005 Chicago, Illinois Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the 2008 San Diego Pacific Life Holiday Bowl).
• Since 2002, the CCHS Marching Band has competed in over 15 marching band competitions; we have taken a first, second, or third place trophy in each of them.
• The Cathedral City Symphonic Band has performed in-concert at two of the world’s great classical music venue’s – Carnegie Hall (New York City), and Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles) – Earning a standing ovation in both locations.
• During the 2006-2007 School Year, the CCHS Bands performed on both the East and West Coasts of the United States in the same school year (The Rose Bowl, and Carnegie Hall).
• The CCHS Symphonic Band was selected by the California Band Director’s Association as the only high school band in state to perform at their 2008 convention.
• The CCHS Symphonic Band has performed twice with Dr. Kenneth Tse, one of the world’s top saxophonists. The CCHS Band is the only band to have that distinction.
• The City leadership of Cathedral City has deemed the CCHS Bands the Official Bands of Cathedral City by official proclamation.
• I have been honored as CCHS Teacher of the Year three times, PSUSD Teacher of the Year, and selected as the California representative for School Band and Orchestra’s 50 national band directors.
• The CCHS Symphonic Band just returned from a two-week tour of England and Wales.

Beginning this year we are going to raise funds through our band booster organization by way of an ongoing donation program. The program will allow you to contribute a tax-deductible donation to the CCHS Bands in one of two options. Option one – you may select a dollar amount that you would like to contribute monthly to the CCHS bands and by completing the enclosed ACH form and submitting a voided personal check along with the form, the donation will be sent directly from your financial institution on a monthly basis. Once we receive the information from you, we will have our financial institution set up the monthly donation. This donation option is one similarly used by the Red Cross, and American Heart Association. Please note that this option can be discontinued at any time simply by calling the CCHS Bands. Option two – you may select a dollar amount you would like to contribute monthly to the CCHS Bands, and you may opt to send in your donation via US Mail. The donation made to the CCHS Bands from either option can be counted as a tax-deductible donation as we are an IRS recognized 501c3 charitable organization. Please remember to include the enclosed forms specifying your donation amount and payment option to the CCHS Bands at the address listed on this letterhead.

In closing, I would like to thank you for your support, and encourage you to begin thinking about those family and friends that will be willing to donate to our ongoing support program. I look forward to meeting all of you at a band event in the near future.

Sincerely,

Gregory X. Whitmore,
Director of Bands

Automatic Contribution Form (ACH)

Ongoing Support Donation Form