“You give, we give back” is the slogan for one of the band program’s most purposeful fundraisers: Musicians Acting with Responsibility, Compassion, and Hard work, better known as M.A.R.C.H. Students in the band are asking community members for donations that will go toward things like new instruments, new marching band uniforms, and fun field trips. In turn, they have already committed to putting that same enthusiasm into a Saturday of community service. Whether they spent March 1st helping care for shelter animals at the Etowah Valley Humane Society, planting gardens at the Etowah Indian Mounds, organizing donations at Advocates for Children, or painting chicken coops at Hickory Log, every student did something to make Cartersville a better place to live. 

Mr. Moon, Director of the Band, introduced the idea of M.A.R.C.H. to Cartersville High School two years ago. “I think giving back to any cause is important because there are a lot of people in this world who think it is all about them, and at the end of the day, we’re all human beings. We all have the same blood… so we need to fight for the common cause and for the good of humanity,” he says, “and I really think by giving back and doing more community service things, [students] can kind of see that and kind of feel that, oh, we did something good together… and seeing the result of that and how it helps people will help bring a little bit of humanity back into their life.” 

Reese Harbin, a sophomore who volunteered at the Etowah Indian Mounds, echoes Mr. Moon’s sentiment. “My biggest takeaway was knowing that I played a part in enhancing the looks of the area for people to enjoy when they come to see it,”