Patchwork Punkin

Like many other high school marching bands, the musicians from the Forest Area High School in Michigan had practiced most of the summer to get ready for the football season. But this year Forest Area’s football season was canceled when too few athletes came out for the team. About an hour’s drive away in Maple City, Glen Lake High School had the opposite problem. They had a football team but no student band. So the Maple City athletic director and assistant principle Matthew Mattson called the Forest Area band director to invite them to play at a game in late September. "No Friday night football game is complete without a cheer team and marching band," he said. Forest Area jumped at the chance, even though it meant an hour in buses each way and playing in the rain. "It didn't take long for the two schools to connect," Mattson said. “They’re welcome back anytime.”