The Band of Blue Booster Club hosted the Band of Blue 50th Anniversary Reunion this past Saturday, November 11th at Colleton County High School. Over 300 band alumni, boosters and friends attended the event held in the main gym and bandroom at CCHS. The band room showcased old uniforms and pictures and banners from years past and alumni watched videos of performances from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s.
Band of Blue Booster President Randy Ballew welcomed the crowd and thanked everyone for attending. CCSD Interim Superintendent Jessica Williams, a former band captain and flute player in the Band of Blue from 1977-1981, spoke about what the band meant to her and how she learned early, the discipline and dedication it took to be successful in life. She thanked former band director and Walterboro mayor Bill Young for all the hard work and effort he did for the band for 32 years. Mayor Young spoke to the group and pointed out how his students meant the world to him and how they never quit and were willing to pay the price to be a champion. Current band director Tom Finigan, in his 37th year with the Band of Blue program stated, “The Band of Blue has thrived over the past 50 years, and we have so much to be proud of. We are looking forward to the next 50 years and continuing to grow and doing our best for Colleton County!
Finigan went on to say, “the Band of Blue has been in the top 12 in class 4A every year since 1975. That’s a record that most band programs can and will never obtain. The Band of Blue time after time has been a consistent winning program. Not many band programs in this state have a record like our band. The 1976 Presidential inaugural Parade, the 1982 Orange Bowl Parade, Nine SCBDA State Championships from 1982-1997, the 1994 Tournament of Roses Parade, the 2000 MACY*S Thanksgiving Day Parade, the 2008 and 2019 National Cherry Blossom Parade and the 1991, 2010, 2014, 2017 Mardi Gras Parades. There have been thousands of students in our band program that have gone on to be productive citizens and leaders in our community and nationwide. The discipline and hard work ethic that band teaches you has carried you throughout your life. You, the students, are the living legacy to our band!”
The Band of Blue would like to thank all of the past Band booster clubs and parents and friends of the Band of Blue that have done so much over the years.
Citizens in our community look up to you as a member of this band. You should always be proud to say you were in Band of Blue!
To our alumni we have one more small piece of advice that we would like to share with you. “When you graduate as a band member, you’re always a band member, and you’re always welcome.
For more information visit @bandofblue
