With just days until they leave for Washington, two northern Colorado groups participating in the presidential inaugural parade have raised less than half the money they need to pay for their travel.
The Freedom Riders of Greeley, an equine group, has raised about $11,000 of the $25,000 needed for the trip for the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.
The Windsor High School marching band has come up with about $60,000 of the $150,000 needed through donations and fundraisers.
Neither group is in danger of missing the festivities.
However, if The Freedom Riders does not raise the rest of the cash, it will have to scale back plans to transport 13 people and eight horses on the 3,400-mile round-trip, cross-country trek, said director Lee Barrett.
Like it did for the 2005 inauguration of President George W. Bush, it might send only three people. The Freedom Riders expect to head east Friday.
Barrett was busy Monday going door-to-door in Greeley, asking businesses to donate anything they could. A chicken dinner fundraiser the night before failed to draw much of a crowd.
“It’s hard to raise that kind of money these days with the economy and all,” Barrett said. “We’re going to try to raise the money and figure out a way to get a loan or something.
“Right now, I’m not going to panic.”
Meanwhile, the Windsor marching band will fly to Washington on Saturday morning. In all, 77 Windsor High students will participate in the festivities.
Although it has not met its fundraising goal, either, the band booster group still has not logged donations made during fundraisers over the past week, said Wayne King, president of the Windsor High Music Boosters.
And if not enough money is raised by this weekend, the group will try again when the band returns from the historic event.
“We definitely will be going,” King said.
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
How to help
To donate to the Windsor marching band, go to , or checks can be made out to WHS Music Boosters and sent to WHS Music whsmusicboosters, P.O. Box 244, Windsor, CO 80550.
To donate to The Freedom Riders, go to www.thefreedomriders .
