Great job at the Pep Rally and Football Game this past Friday! We had a great time performing for the school at the Pep Rally and playing in the stands and hanging out with the Cerritos Band & Color Guard. Thank you to the parents who came to the game and who helped with the mingle!

We have an important week of rehearsal as we continue making progress on the field show production before enjoying a well-deserved three-day weekend! The students have also done a great job staying hydrated and acclimating to the recent heat. Temperatures should begin to cool down this week, but please continue to bring a full water jug to every rehearsal and hydrate throughout the day. Don’t forget to go to Frantone’s Pizza & Spaghetti Villa this Thursday anytime from 5:00-10:00PM!

FAMILY BAND & GUARD DINNER NIGHT THURSDAY!

Join us for our Band & Color Guard Dinner Night this Thursday, September 3rd from 5PM-10PM at Frantone’s Pizza & Spaghetti Villa!

Come have dinner and hang out with our Gahr Band & Color Guard families after practice! Show the fundraiser flyer when you order and 20% of your purchase will be donated back to the Gahr Instrumental Music Program.

To-go orders count too! Stop by for dinner, bring your family and friends, or pick something up to take home.

We want to see everyone there on Thursday! Don’t miss out!!

STUDENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – FAMILY BAND NIGHT WEDNESDAY

We are looking for upperclassmen band students who would like to help at the ABCUSD Family Band Night this Wednesday evening at Artesia High School! You’ll be assisting band directors as 4th-grade students try different band instruments for the first time and help them get excited about learning an instrument.

We will need help from 5:00-7:30PM. Students who volunteer will receive community service hours and a FREE #gahrband t-shirt! Please let Mr. Loney know if you’re interested in helping!

MANDATORY POPCORNOPOLIS FUNDRAISER

Our annual Popcornopolis Fundraiser is underway! Each family is required to sell a minimum of eight (8) bags of popcorn. All profit from bags sold thereafter (50% of the cost) will be credited to students’ accounts. This is a great way to raise money for Marching Band, or to get ahead on Winter Guard or Indoor Percussion donations.

🎁 BONUS: The student who sells the most Popcornopolis will win a $50 Visa Gift Card!

ALL ORDERS AND MONEY ARE DUE NEXT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH.

🍿 Students were sent home with a fundraising brochure and order form.

Sell a minimum of eight (8) bags or $80 in sales.
Write your name clearly on the top of your order form.
Collect money at the time of the order.
Promote to family, friends, coworkers, and social media to maximize sales. You can also text it out to make things easier.
Make all checks payable to “Gahr Band Boosters” (please ensure your name is written in the memo line).

Popcornopolis orders typically take about 2-3 weeks to arrive. Students are responsible for distributing orders to the customers they sold to once the shipment is received.

❌ Prefer to opt-out? You may turn in the $40 profit instead.

FAN-PLEDGE FUNDRAISER!

We are excited to launch our annual Fan-Pledge Fundraiser to support the Gahr Instrumental Music Program!

Our program is continuing to grow, and with more students than ever before, we need to expand our uniform inventory so that every performer can look their best when representing Gahr. This year’s goal is to raise money for additional Marching Band uniforms, as well as parade costumes and flags for our Color Guard! Our goal is to have this for our upcoming performance trip to Disney World!

Fan-Pledge has made a HUGE impact on our program in the past. Last year’s fundraiser helped us completely wrap our equipment trailer, and this year we hope to accomplish something just as important for our students.

We need every student to submit at least 20 contacts – phone numbers for family members, friends, and other potential supporters who may be willing to donate to our program.

Fan-Pledge keeps contact information private and protected. It is never sold or shared. Please DO NOT use classmates, teachers, administrators, or other Gahr students.

Instead, think about:
Family • Family Friends • Neighbors • Parents’ Friends & Coworkers • Former Teachers • Coaches • Doctors • Dentists • Local Business Owners • Anyone who would be excited to support YOU and the program!

We will spend time during class getting everyone’s contacts entered and ready to go. Students who have 20 contacts will be entered into raffles for gift cards and prizes!

Our goal is to have everyone’s contact list READY so that when we officially launch Fan-Pledge at our MANDATORY KICK-OFF PARTY on Friday, September 25, we can hit the ground running!

FAN-PLEDGE KICK-OFF PARTY – FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

We’re going BIG for our Fan-Pledge kickoff! There will be gift cards, raffles, individual prizes, section prizes, and an awesome GRAND PRIZE!

The SECTION that raises the most money will win a PIZZA PARTY!

And the INDIVIDUAL STUDENT who raises the most money will win DINNER COOKED BY MR. LONEY! You pick the meal, and Mr. Loney will cook it from scratch!

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Please enter only real contacts of people you actually know. Fake contacts will be deleted, and students who submit fake contacts will not be eligible for raffles or prizes.

PLEASE NOTE: Fan-Pledge is a program-wide fundraiser that benefits all of our students by providing essential equipment, uniforms, and resources. Donations are not tied to individual student accounts. Every dollar raised goes directly toward improving and supporting the Gahr Instrumental Music Program as a whole.

If everyone does their part, we can make sure the Gahr Band & Color Guard look as incredible as they sound when we represent our school at Walt Disney World!

CLOTHING DRIVE NEXT SATURDAY 9/12

Our Clothing Drive Fundraiser is next Saturday, September 12th! Donations can be dropped off anytime from 8:30AM-2:00PM.

Clean out your closets and help support the Gahr Marching Gladiators! We’ll be collecting gently used clothing, shoes, handbags, household textiles, bedding, towels, and more.

Please place donations in 13-gallon kitchen bags. Students will receive one raffle ticket for every three (3) filled bags donated for a chance to win a $40 Amazon gift card! We’ll also have an additional prize for the student who donates the most bags.

If you are available to help with the Clothing Drive that Saturday, please click here to sign up.

Thank you for cleaning out those closets and supporting the Gahr Band & Color Guard!

THANK YOU BOOSTER PARENTS!

Thank you to all the parents who helped on Saturday with uniforms, lunch, and props! We really appreciate everyone who has volunteered to help support our students and the program. If you haven’t volunteered yet, you’re missing out on all the fun!

It’s not too late to become an official Gahr Band Booster Member! Membership is just $30 per person and is a great way to support the Gahr Band & Color Guard program. Your Booster Membership also includes a “Jungle Boogie” Field Show T-Shirt and Gahr Marching Gladiators clear cinch bag – perfect for the clear bag policies now in place at football games and many of our competitions.

We have also updated our Booster Wishlist with some of the items we currently need for the season. We are especially in need of bottled water. If you are able to help purchase or donate an item, every contribution helps! Please click here to check out the Booster Wishlist.

Our next Booster Meeting is Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30PM in the Band Room. We hope to see you there!

ORLANDO PERFORMANCE TRIP!

We are getting closer to our 2027 Orlando Performance Trip! As we begin preparing for the trip, please keep an eye out for information about scheduled rehearsals, preparation meetings, and other important trip dates. We now have over 100+ students who will be participating!

Some of these rehearsals and meetings will be specifically for students and families participating in the Orlando trip, so please make sure to check the calendar and weekly updates regularly as new dates are added. More information about the trip, performances, schedules, packing, and other important details will be shared as we get closer.

For questions, please contact:
Dee Dee Varney
dvarney15@gmail.com
(562) 413-3068

WBA CHAMPIONSHIPS – PARENT HOTEL FILLING UP FAST!

Planning to travel to Fresno for the WBA Championships November 21-22? Our discounted Parent Hotel block is filling up FAST!

This year, the band will travel up early Saturday morning and stay one night, returning home late Sunday evening after WBA Grand Championships.

We have a discounted parent room block at the Homewood Suites Fresno, located right across from where our students will be staying!

November 21-22 | $179 + tax
Complimentary Breakfast & Parking

The official booking deadline is October 22, but rooms are already filling quickly. If you’re planning to go, reserve your room ASAP!!

GAHR BAND JACKET

Get your official Gahr Marching Gladiators Band Jacket! Jackets are $145 and come fully embroidered. We accept checks to “Gahr Band Boosters” or cash. Please complete a separate order form for each jacket you order.

ORDER DEADLINE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE BAND JACKET ORDER FORM

GAHR INVITATIONAL FIELD TOURNAMENT – SIGN UPS!

We are excited to announce that the Gahr Invitational Field Tournament will take place on Saturday, November 7th, right here at Gahr High School! This year, we are proud to welcome over 30 bands from across Southern California for an incredible day of marching band!

This is the one competition you should NOT be sitting in the stands watching. The Gahr Invitational is our biggest event of the year, and it takes a huge team of volunteers to make it happen. We need ALL HANDS ON DECK!

From concessions and parking to tickets, hospitality, merchandise, and more, there are many ways to help throughout the day. We will have thousands of students, families, and spectators in attendance and cannot do it without your support.

If you haven’t signed up for a shift yet, please click here to sign up to volunteer.

SAVE THE DATE: Our first Gahr Invitational Committee Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 16th at the next booster meeting in the Band Room. We will have Cookies and Prizes!!!! We would love to see everyone there as we begin planning for this exciting event!

Let’s make this the biggest and best Gahr Invitational yet! 💙💛

PROGRAM DONATIONS – MARCHING BAND

The Gahr High School Band & Color Guard program is largely self-funded. Student donations make it possible for us to provide the outstanding educational and performance opportunities that define our program each year.

The 2026 Marching Band Program Donation is $775 per student. This donation directly supports essential program expenses, including instructional staff, music, equipment and instruments, uniforms and costumes, props, production materials, transportation, and more. This year’s donation also includes our trip to the Western Band Association Championships.

Families may submit the donation in full or according to the following payment schedule:

$250 – 1st Donation – Past Due June 1, 2026
$175 – 2nd Donation – Past Due July 20, 2026
$175 – 3rd Donation – Past Due August 21, 2026
$175 – 4th Donation – Due October 2, 2026

➡️ Click here to make a donation online

If your family is able to, we strongly encourage paying the full donation at the start of the season. Early donations help us purchase materials and cover significant upfront expenses such as props, equipment, instruments, registration fees, and other program needs.

Your support helps provide students with exceptional educational experiences while developing discipline, confidence, responsibility, teamwork, and leadership – skills that extend far beyond the marching field.

Please Note: Program expenses are based on each student’s participation in the season and are incurred regardless of individual attendance at rehearsals, camps, or performances. Missing any portion of the season does not reduce the program’s expenses associated with that student.

Thank you for your continued support of the Gahr High School Band & Color Guard!

ATHLETIC CLEARANCE THROUGH HOME CAMPUS

All students participating in the 2026–27 Gahr High School Marching Band & Color Guard are required to complete athletic clearance each year and must have a current athletic physical on file.

Parents should create an account and complete the clearance process through the following website: https://www.homecampus.com/login

After completing a physical exam, families will need to scan or take photos of both pages of the form and upload them to Home Campus as part of the athletic clearance process.

Click here to download the required physical evaluation form.

Students may still complete their athletic physical through Anderson Chiropractic Clinic in Los Alamitos. They are continuing to offer athletic physicals for just $20 cash. Call ahead to schedule an appointment at (562) 594-6538.

ASB CARD & TRANSPORTATION

Please make sure you have paid for your student’s Gahr High School ASB Card ($85) and Transportation Fee ($90). These school fees are paid directly to Gahr High School at the Finance Office during school hours.

Students who choose not to purchase an ASB Card will instead be required to pay the $225 Transportation Fee.

field show program ads fundraiser!

Advertise in our program for the Gahr Invitational Field Tournament! THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST INDIVIDUAL STUDENT FUNDRAISER OF THE ENTIRE YEAR! Students earn 90% of the profit from all ads sold. Please click here to download the form. The deadline for all advertisements is Friday, October 16, 2026. We cannot accept late ads once the program is sent to the printer.

This is a great way for local businesses to advertise to the community! The Gahr Invitational Field Tournament typically has over 5,000 people in attendance, and we usually sell around 500 programs. This is also a great opportunity to put in a "shout-out" for your son/daughter in the program! Best of all, students still earn 90% of profit from getting a shout out!

You can also purchase a program ad directly through our website. Please just make sure you email the ad to Mr. Loney at darren.loney@abcusd.us.

📆 IMPORTANT DATES

9/1 Rehearsal 1:00-4:00PM / Back to School Night!
9/3 Frantone’s Fundraiser 5-10PM
9/8 Popcornopolis Order & Payment Deadline
9/11 Band Jacket Order Form Deadline
9/12 Saturday Rehearsal 8:30AM-5PM / Clothing Drive
9/16 Monthly Parent Booster & Invitational Meeting @ 6:30PM
9/18 Homecoming Rally / Homecoming Football Game
9/19 Saturday Rehearsal 9AM-1PM / Homecoming Dance
9/25 Mandatory Fan-Pledge Kick-Off 3:45-5PM
9/26 CSBC MAX! Preview of Champions Show

THIS WEEK:

MONDAY 8/31
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
6th Period – Color Guard, Battery, Front Ensemble rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Marching Band rehearsal (everyone)

TUESDAY 9/1
MINIMUM DAY SCHEDULE
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
Fan-Pledge contacts during periods 4/5/6
12:00PM Hydrate & eat lunch
1:00-4:00PM Marching Band rehearsal (everyone)
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT

WEDNESDAY 9/2
7:30AM Band Room open
3:30-4:30PM Wind Sectionals
5:00-7:30PM ABCUSD Family Band Night @ Artesia HS

THURSDAY 9/3
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
6th Period – Color Guard, Battery, Front Ensemble rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Marching Band rehearsal (everyone)
5:00-10:00PM Frantone’s Fundraiser!

FRIDAY 9/4
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!

NEXT WEEK:

MONDAY 9/7
NO SCHOOL

TUESDAY 9/8
POPCORNOPOLIS ORDERS & MONEY DUE
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
Study Hall during periods 4/5/6
After School – Homework/Dinner/Change
5:00PM Set up for rehearsal
5:30-8:45PM Marching Band rehearsal

WEDNESDAY 9/9
7:30AM Band Room open
3:30-4:30PM Wind Sectionals

THURSDAY 9/10
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!
6th Period – Color Guard, Battery, Front Ensemble rehearsal
3:30-6:00PM Marching Band rehearsal (everyone)

FRIDAY 9/11
BAND JACKET ORDERS DUE
6:50AM Band Room open
7:17AM Jazz I & II attendance – DO NOT BE LATE!

SATURDAY 9/12
7:45AM Band Room open
Eat a good breakfast and arrive early!
8:30AM-5:00PM Saturday Rehearsal
8:30AM-12:00PM Block 1
12:00-1:00PM Lunch
1:00-5:00PM Block 2
5:00PM Clean Up / Dismissal

8:30AM-2:00PM Clothing Drive Fundraiser (In Preschool Parking Lot)