A presidential inauguration is a very prestigious event. As millions watch on TV, hundreds of thousands attend to witness history first hand but few receive invitations to actually participate in the festivities. In 2013, The Waltrip High School Band in Houston received one of the coveted invites to perform at several D.C. locations, including the Black Tie and Boots Presidential Inaugural Ball.
For months, the band held student-led fundraisers – carwashes, popcorn and bake sales – to acquire the $150,000 needed to cover the costs of 141 students to travel to our nation’s capital. In the days leading up to President Obama’s second inauguration, the band held a four-hour concert in hopes of securing the final $40,000 in donations needed.
Even with these extraordinary efforts, the band had fallen $10,000 short of their goal. Steve Mostyn received a call to help. He willingly gave the band the $10,000 donation they needed to attend the event. “I reminded them of the significance of what they were going to do, and to stay involved,” Mostyn said. “These kids worked real hard. They just needed a little bit of help, and I was happy to provide it.”