Date conflict results in proclamation

HUNTINGTON, IND. (WANE) - The Huntington North High School Varsity Singers program is facing a funding shortfall, but it actually has nothing to do with the economy or cuts in state funding.

“It's big business. You've got to raise the funds to go to the competitions,” said Rick Henly, a parent who has been associated with the program for 16 years.

The choir cash crunch instead comes from a date conflict. The group usually raises money for its yearly competition from an invitational. That’s where choirs and other performing groups from surrounding states are invited to perform for a fee.

The 2010 invitational was to be held the second week of March; however, that’s the same weekend as a highly-attended wrestling match.  The school apparently couldn't support the size of both venues, so in the end, the school board sided with the wrestling event... leaving the choir's biggest fund raising event out in the cold.

“We all wish it could have been handled differently, the parents especially cause we're really out there now trying to make those ends meet,” Henly said.

That's where a proclamation for Saturday could help. Huntington Mayor Steve Updike has proclaimed Saturday “Varsity Singers Day” in the city.

“Hopefully the city and the county will reach into their pockets and help the kids out for this good effort,” Mayor Updike said.

A proclamation in 1996 did just that.

“By 3:00 that afternoon, counting penny after penny, we had $6,000,” said John Wenning, Huntington North High School Choir Director who is in his 25th year at the school with the choir program.

This year, the group needs about $8,000 to make that happen.

“We're hoping that by the end of Saturday we can make our final deposit,” Wenning said.

The school district didn't have any comment about the conflicting date and how they made their decision.

Meanwhile the proclamation helps to bring more awareness to the choir program. Choir members will also be holding road blocks and going door for door to help make their needed $8,000 to go to the competition.