Every year, we support the Montgomery County Christmas Store in donating canned goods to provide local families with food for Christmas dinner and much more. It is a week-long competition among band sections, providing bonus points to groups that brought in the Christmas Store’s highly requested canned items. The winners of this year’s canned drive was the clarinet section, providing 958 of the 2,983 items collected for donation.
The band’s position from the view of the tower for Hokies for the Hungry; Source: Lelan Yung
The Marching Virginians also play for donations in smaller groups of ensembles that travel throughout the many tailgating Virginia Tech fans. With the pandemic this year, the MVs were forced to transition into something virtual like many other school organizations. Anna Bohlmann, the MV Service Officer, and the officer team were the brains behind this operation, creating a very successful telethon event streamed on Facebook Live. Between Venmo Challenge Boards and the telethon, the MVs collected $8,674.91 in donations.
The final MVAA Leaderboard; Source: Linda Correll
We also reached out to our Marching Virginians Alumni Association (MVAA) to participate. Linda, their Online Content Officer, and Anna coordinated an MVAA Section Wars, in which alumni could participate in their own competition to donate. Percussion came in third place, just behind the flags who were holding first place until the very last day of accepting donations. So who took first? The tubas, with a few very large last minute donations to secure the win! The MVAA raised $3,491.04 together, after fees, with 94 donations from 88 unique donors because quite a few individuals came back to secure their sections spot on the leaderboard. The MVAA plan to continue the event annually with Hokies for the Hungry, though it may look a little different in the years to come!
Linda and Ashlyn McDonald, our drum major, also helped coordinate the first selling of an MV print created by Jane Blevins. This radiant print of the MV spirit collected $579.05 in donations, making it an amazing success!
Overall, the MVs raised $12,745.00 in donations and 2,983 in donated items.
Anna Bohlmann cheesing for her officer position; Source: Facebook
“This event was a lot of work to plan especially since I had never planned anything quite like it. There were several moving parts and things that came up as we continued to plan. In the end we were able to plan something that people loved and that was able to come up with lots of money to support the Montgomery County Christmas Store. We got tons of positive feedback from people in the comments of the Live and afterwards.”
- Anna Bohlmann, MV Service Officer & Senior Clarinet
As stated, Anna could not complete the entire event alone and had stations set up along the MV field fence below as she and Karen, the MV Executive Officer, MC’d the event from the top of the field’s watch tower. These volunteers consisted of Managers and Officers that kept track of the donations and live song requests during the event. Anna also included interviews of different MV perspectives from various leadership positions throughout the telethon.
Still playing into the night, the MVs rack up some more donations; Source: Lelan Yung
This all contributed a lot of positive hype for the game on Saturday. An event that normally would be in person was just as successful online and that was really reassuring for a lot of MVs.
However, the game started out poorly. Our Hokies struggled with a 14-3 deficit against the Flames, slowly making their way in leading the half 20-14. It was with this lead that the MVs played their hearts out in hopes that it would motivate our team in expanding that lead.
An MV Trumpet dances in spirit as the game goes on; Source: Beau Wong
The halftime began with Pinball Wizard, followed by Caravan. They finished strong with Aranjuez, an old favorite of the MVs that resonated with many of the seniors in the band as well as the MV Alumni watching. The band played a fire performance, reinvigorated to support their team as the sun beat down among them and the field below.
The band chanting “block that kick” as Nick conducts the drumline; Source: Beau Wong
But Liberty regained their lead 21-20 the start of the second half. And with 10 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Liberty would attempt a 59-yard field goal, though Coach Fuente halted it with a timeout that would come back to bite the Hokies in the end (whether or not you believed he was icing the kicker or confirming the kick was coming). For the time being, however, the ball snapped and the kick was blocked, having seen Hokie player Jermaine Waller sprinting down the field for a touchdown. Unfortunately, the referee “saw through” Coach Fuente, allowing Liberty to kick once more to win, and win they did: 38-35.
A meme posted in response to the referee’s call on Saturday to let Liberty kick; Source: Trajan Caines
“I hate Virginia Tech football for giving me whiplash like that.”
- Natasha Chauhan, Senior Tone
“Yeah if I wanted to be disappointed like that I would have just redownloaded tinder.”
- Connor Lindsay, Sophomore Trombone