By CHRISTINE BOATWRIGHT / Staff Writer

CALERA – The Calera Eagle Marching Band will march from Calera High School to Sav Mor Food Outlet for a community-wide send-off party Jan. 17.

The party will send off the band for its trip to Washington, D.C. for the 57th Presidential Inaugural Parade Jan. 21. The band will leave Calera High about 3:15 p.m., and the Sav Mor send-off will begin about 4 p.m.

The band will officially hit the road Jan. 18 for its road trip.

Calera High Band Director Ryan Murrell, who is in his first year at the school, was notified his band was selected for the parade Dec. 18. Since then, band members have been working to raise $66,000 for the trip.

“So far, it’s going very well,” Murrell said Jan. 15 of fundraising efforts. “We have about $58,000 as of yesterday, but there’s more money begin turned in.”

Each band member will pay $300 to participate in the trip, Murrell said.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students,” Murrell said. “The city is banding together to make it happen.”

Bill Davis, owner of Sav Mor Food Outlet, said he’ll have refreshments and food for the band members after they march from Calera High, as well as snacks for the trip. Ribs and sandwiches will be available for parents and community members to purchase.

The band members have been bagging groceries and assisting customers at Sav Mor to earn tips, and Davis decided to hold the party as a way to thank them.

“They ended up doing a lot of other jobs for me. They’ve been fun to have,” Davis said.

Coca Cola will provide its “sound truck” for the send-off party, which includes a place for a DJ, as well as a sound system.

“It’ll be a fun afternoon. It should be pretty neat,” Davis said.