When Chris and Dee Bradt put on their new Kansas University band uniforms in 1978, they had no idea their son would someday be wearing a Marching Jayhawk uniform from the same set.
That happened three years ago, when Ian Bradt enrolled at KU and joined the band as a trombone player.
“It’s a good thing and a bad thing,” Dee said. “Face it, we’re all nostalgic about our college years. It’s good our kid is wearing the same uniforms we did. But I kind of feel bad for him — even his high school uniform was only a couple years old.”
Those old KU uniforms could go by the wayside this fall, if things stay on schedule.
The Journal-World, in partnership with the school of fine arts, KU athletic department and KU Endowment Association, is sponsoring the “Feather the Flock” campaign, which aims to raise $150,000 for 300 new band uniforms. If the money is raised by March 1, the uniforms can be acquired by this fall’s football season.
As of Friday, the campaign had raised $59,158.59.
That’s good news for Ian, who is a junior majoring in engineering.
“It’ll especially be good next year when it’s three minutes before game time, and you won’t have to worry about fixing parts of the uniform because they’re falling apart,” he said.
Dee and Chris — both French horn players — met during marching band their freshman year. They started dating their sophomore year.
The couple now live in Johnston, Iowa. Chris is a network consultant for IBM, and Dee teaches high school band.
They were overjoyed when Ian decided to attend KU and march in the band.
“It’s awesome,” Dee said. “It’s great. There’s part of me that says, ‘You’re an engineering major and you should keep your focus there,’ but he keeps on talking about what more he should do for the band. I can’t make myself tell him he should give it up.”
Chris said he hoped the new uniforms would bring the band’s prestige back to what it was when he and Dee attended KU, from 1974 to 1979. Back then, there were about 250 Marching Jayhawks, about 110 more than there were last year.
“A lot of it is just due to nostalgia on my part, and just realizing when I was going through school, being part of an organization like that gave you a support group to always have around you,” he said. “I would hate to see that go.”
Ian said having his parents as KU band alumni gave him a greater appreciation for the program’s history.
“This ensemble has such a tradition — the entire (music) department has such a tradition,” he said. “To be part of the same tradition my parents were part of when they were here, that’s pretty cool.”
| The Journal-World’s campaign to feather the Marching Jayhawk flock is soaring closer to its goal of raising $150,000 to order uniforms for 300 musicians in time for this fall’s football season.By Friday afternoon, the total had grown by $14,544, to $59,158.59. Here’s a look at the latest batch of donors:$1,000-$2,999Kathy MulinazziTom Mulinazzi$500-$999A R Systems Inc.Donna R. AdamsJames W. PaddockRuth Davenport PaddockGordon M. PennyLinda Shewmake Penny$300-$499Herschel L. StroudJacqueline L. StroudB. Kent McCulloughJanette R. McCulloughJohn C. GottschamerBarbara J. GottschamerLloyd TrauerJames W. GrinterMary Jane Grinter$100-$299Bill J. BrooksGrace L. BrooksJ.W. NewsomFaye N. NewsomWilliam G. Rinehart Jr.Diana Sherwood RinehartHerbert H. WeidensaulDelphine J. WeidensaulDouglas T. TylerKaren Fegan TylerDelmar HatesohlLaVerna HatesohlLyle M. AndersonMarolyn K. AndersonMark A. AndersenSusan E. AndersenMark S. WolfsonRobert WellsKay WellsSteven C. StewartLaurie StewartWilliam E. BradfordJoan Morris BradfordTo $100Anonymous organizationBarbara A. McGrathClaudine Scott LingelbachDebra A. McQueeneyA. Michael NeunerDonna J. NeunerWilliam B. OwensInez R. OwensThomas J. MosserJanet L. MosserJohn E. LangJoleen C. LangLouise N. DaylorMary Ann AdamsMona Tipton KatzPattie Armbrister JohnstonJohn H. Stauffer Sr.Ruth Granger StaufferFriday total: $59,158.59 Needed to reach goal: $90,841.41 ¢ Contributions may be forwarded to the KU Endowment Association, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence 66044-0928. ¢ Or visit feathertheflock.com to make a donation online. |
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