East Lansing High School (ELHS) band and orchestra students participated in the annual “Night Out” fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 29, raising around $14,350 to support the band and orchestra programs. During the fundraiser, students went door to door in East Lansing, playing songs for people and asking for donations. Night Out, run by the East Lansing Band and Orchestra Parents Association (ELBOPA), generates about 90 percent of the money needed for the yearly operating budget.

According to ELHS band director David Larzelere, these funds help cover various expenses for the year, including supplemental instruments, guest clinicians, costs for uniforms and other miscellaneous needs. 

“I believe we live in a very generous community that supports our performing arts programs strongly,” Larzelere said.

Night Out consistently raises upwards of $10,000 each year, with each group of students raising about $500.

“[Last year], one person gave the school $100, and they gave each of us like $5, which was very cool,” violinist Newman Liao (10) said. “People are all very nice.” 

Despite only lasting for a few hours, the fundraiser is wildly successful.

“It’s a fundraiser that we’re really fortunate the [community] supports, and it’s something that we can do easily,” Larzelere said. “It’s just a couple of hours of work for our students, rather than some kind of long, protracted event, and it does really well for us financially.”

Like every year, Night Out had a new wave of freshmen adding their skills to the mix. For them, it was their first time participating in the event.

“It was really fun to be out there and play for other people,” cellist Ruth Nowodworksi (9) said. “[It was different] than being on the stage. My favorite memory was definitely these little kids [who] went out on the porch, dancing as we played. It was so cute.” 

The ELHS community is what really makes the fundraiser a success. 

“It’s become an annual tradition,” Larzelere said. “A lot of the community really expects it and looks forward to seeing the students go out and play their instruments.”