More practice equals a rise in donations

Lawrence High School’s music department is always trying to find new ways to positively influence their community, while also improving on their talents. For the third year in a row, the music department is participating in the Harry Chapin Practice-A-Thon.

Originally set up to raise money for the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Long Island’s central food bank that distributes to food banks across the island. Recently, the Practice-A-Thon has been extended to fundraise across New York state to aid innumerable hungry citizens in New York.

The Practice-A-Thon also aims to spread awareness about the problem of hunger on Long Island, placing emphasis on the fact that the majority of visitors to food pantries are not homeless. The majority of visitors are elderly, disabled, veterans, single mothers, or the working poor. Long Island Cares also provides volunteer opportunities and workshops on nutrition and job skills. Their aim is to create a hunger-free Long Island, and perhaps even a hunger-free New York state.

Lawrence High began its involvement in the Practice-A-Thon in 2014 and included only the band program. That year, the band students practiced for a total of 28,853 minutes or neatly 481 hours. While in-class practicing did not count, any other rehearsals or individual practice could be logged. Students found sponsors and had them pledge to donate a specific amount for minutes played. Students could also take a one-time donation.

The naturally competitive spirit of the music students helped propel the fundraiser, as they all tried to practice as long as possible. That first year, the band raised $1,400 for Long Island Cares. The second year of the fundraiser coincided with the music department’s trip to Walt Disney World. The timing was perfect, as students would be practicing more than usual to perfect their performances for Florida. That year, the fundraiser was expanded to include not only the band, but the chorus and orchestra as well. The participation of the other groups resulted in a total of 45,760 minutes for the month of March, which equates to 762.67 hours of practice. That year, $1,861 were raised for Long Island Cares.

This year’s Practice-A-Thon began two weeks ago, and students are eagerly searching for sponsors. Many students ask teachers, family members, or friends to sponsor them. Many students also choose to sponsor themselves, challenging themselves to practice as much as they possibly can, and donate as much as they possibly can.

With several food banks in the Five Towns, it is very possible that Lawrence students need to utilize these facilities. Not only does participation in the Practice-A-Thon help hungry people across Long Island, but also it helps people in our community. The music department hopes to beat last year’s number of minutes practiced and money raised, and continue to improve not only their skills, but their contributions as well.