Donations from local attorney and Texas legislator helped group finally meet its fundraising goal

The Waltrip Ram Band is making final preparations for its trip to perform at the Inaugural Celebration in Washington, D.C.  For the past few months, the band has been holding benefit concerts and other events to raise the $150,000 needed to cover the costs of the trip for the more than 140 students.

Although the band had received thousands of dollars in donations from the public, the students were still falling short of their goal. That’s until Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Houston attorney Steve Mostyn made a generous donation, which put the band over the top to meet their goal.

Waltrip High School Band director Jesse Espinosa says the response has been absolutely amazing and that he tells his students all the time that hard work never hurts anybody and eventually pays off.

“I’m glad to see this trip happening and this type of exposure for one of the hardest-working band groups in our city,” said Espinosa. “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Go Ram Band!”

“I’m extremely proud of the enormous commitment and dedication our students, band director, and assistant band directors have put into this project,” added Waltrip High principal Steve Siebenaler.

On Tuesday, Congresswoman Lee and a representative from Mostyn’s office presented Espinosa with their donations. “We’re so proud that the Ram Band will be ambassadors for Houston and the 18th Congressional district during the Inaugural Celebration'” said Lee.  “The outpouring of support from the community shows how we can do anything if we come together.”

The band will be leaving for D.C. on Thursday morning. During the Inaugural Celebration, they will play at the Old Post Office Pavilion, the Iwo Jima Memorial, and the 2013 Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball.