High school band encounters snag in fundraising efforts for trip to NYC

ROHNERT PARK, Calif. (KGO) -- The band at Rancho Cotati High School in Rohnert Park won an invitation to perform at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall, but it almost didn't happen.

The marching band needed to raise $100,000 to send 80 members to perform in New York City. Plans hit a sour note when they learned discount coupons they had purchased to sell as a fundraiser weren't being accepted by many merchants.

The Rancho Cotati High School band played during last spring semester's closing picnic. They were one of six high school bands invited to perform at the New York Wind Band Festival.

To help get there, they sold promotional cards and coupons that were supposed to be good at area merchants.

"The businesses didn't actually know about the card and weren't honoring the discount because they never agreed to it," said Rancho Cotati band director Tim Decker.

Band Director Tim Decker said they bought 800 of the promotional cards with the goal of making $8,000. Sales stopped when word got out many merchants weren't accepting them.

Scandia Fun Center said it agreed to accept the promotional cards, but not the coupons that could be printed off a website. Other merchants declined to comment.

The confusion left people who supported the fundraiser unhappy.

"A lot of them wanted their money back," Decker said.

Suddenly, band members weren't sure if they would make it to New York.

"I was really nervous because we've worked so hard to get here," said band member Daniel Keller-Wolf.

Parent boosters sprung into action holding more than a half dozen other fundraisers ranging from silent auctions to cookie dough sales. All that wasn't enough to reach the $100,000 goal.

"I was very afraid because it was my senior year and I wanted to be able to do something extraordinary before I left," said band member Natalie Miranda.

The short fall fell on the families themselves.

"The families had to come up with more money. We were not able to fundraise the cost down per student as much as we had hoped," said Karen Windfield a parent booster.

There was also the issue of the $4,000 the band spent to buy the discount cards that they couldn't sell.

The company they bought the cards from goes by numerous names including HD Fundraising, Elite, 180 Fundraising, EDJE, Superior and Three Winners.

The band at first refused to pay for the cards, but that didn't matter, since HD Fundraising had a debit card on file.

"They just took our debit card and took $4,000,"

The band contacted 7 on Your Side and we contacted HD Fundraising.

"All of a sudden, when 7 On your Side contacted them, I actually got a call out of the blue from them," Windfield said.

After long drawn out negotiations, the company agreed to refund $3,000 out of the $4,000 to the band.

All 80 members made it to Carnegie Hall. Families who lacked funds were given scholarships through private donations.

"It was must a wonderful experience for all of us," Keller-Wolf said.

HD Fundraising, which has an F rating with the Better Business Bureau, did not return calls to 7 On Your Side.