Having to endure hours of basketball games sitting on the bleachers eventually gets uncomfortable, so the Golden Apple Band has offered an alternative: “The Best Seat in the House.” As a fundraiser for their trip to Disneyland this spring, the band has started selling raffle tickets at home basketball games for the winner to enjoy the game sitting in a recliner chair behind the basket.

According to Wenatchee High School librarian and band parent Patricia Devereaux, every raffle ticket that is bought during one night of games will be used to determine the winner of the chair for the next games. There will be two winners for each raffle: one who will enjoy the game in the recliner during the next girls’ game, and one for the next boys’ game.

There are two parts to the raffle, Devereaux said. The first part is $1 to purchase a ticket for this seat at the next night of games, and the second part is $5 to purchase a ticket to keep the chair once basketball season and the fundraiser are both over.

During Friday night’s game against Chiawana, the band advertised the chair by having Superintendent Brian Flones and senior Francesca Nevil occupy the seat for the first and second halves of the girls’ game. Former WHS Principal and Dean of Students Mike Franza and substitute teacher Don Shoemake sat in the chair for the first and second halves of the boys’ game. For the rest of the season, there will only be one winner sitting in the seat for each game.

“The GA band has gifted our school with so much encouragement and joy during games and pep assemblies over the years. It’s cool to be able to reverse the table and support them in their efforts to go to Disneyland. Not to mention, if you win the raffle they treat you like royalty during the game,” Nevil said.

As well as providing a comfortable seat, Devereaux said that a free halftime snack will also be delivered to the lucky winners.

“We thought it would be fun and a little different; something that adds a little fun and humor to the games. I really appreciate Sav-Mart for donating, and all the money will go towards funds for the band’s spring trip,” Devereaux said.

The band will continue their textile fundraiser through Jan. 25, which includes the donation of clothing and other textiles to the collection box outside the library.

“A recycler is paying $4 per 20 pound bag of clothes and other textiles,” paraeducator and choral assistant Laura Cornwall said.

The annual band bizarre was held Dec. 6, and approximately $5,500 was raised through the sales of baked goods, metal arts, hand blown glass, jewelry, and hand-crafted furniture in the WHS new commons.

At the bizarre, there was a raffle where donated items from vendors and downtown stores could be won. The Seattle Seahawks donated an autographed football, the Seattle Mariners donated an autographed baseball, and the Wenatchee Wild donated a VIP ticket that could also be won through the raffle, band parent Anne-Marie Windsor said.

These projects and fundraisers are being organized by Band Boosters and give the students opportunities to raise as much money as the want, depending on the amount they sell. The money raised will cover the band students’ cost of $1,255 for the Spring Break trip to Disneyland.

The band will be holding a Applebee’s flapjack breakfast in January along with a Krispy Kreme sale in February to continue to earn money for their trip.