Greendale Marching Band Wins $15,000 Through Community Effort

Many might still be feeling the effects on hands and fingers after continually clicking computer mouses to vote for the Greendale High School Marching Band for the WaterStone Bank Competition this past month. Good news is that it paid off!

WaterStone Bank has announced that the Greendale High School Marching Band came in fourth place winning $15,000.

Nearly 280 organizations and schools participated in the competition and only five winners emerged. The marching band received over 963,000 votes.

Competition rules stated that the first place winner would recieve $30,000 and the four following winners would receive $15,000.

Director of bands Tom Reifenberg wrote in an e-mail, "When you think about the fact that the only groups finishing ahead of us were a national organization and two full schools (not just bands), our finish was very impressive. We averaged over 32,000 votes per day for the entire month, and that includes the first week when the contest was just getting started."

The winnings will be used for new uniforms for the band. Each uniform costs about $300.

The band sport the new uniforms in time for the first home game on August 19 versus Franklin High School.

WaterStone Bank held the month long competition in honor of its 90th anniversary. People were able to vote for local nonprofits or schools and there was no limit on number of votes an individual placed.

“As good corporate citizens, it is our responsibility to better our communities in any way that we are able,” commented Doug Gordon, President and Chief Executive Officer of WaterStone Bank. “It’s an honor to celebrate our 90th Anniversary by giving back.”

The bank donates nearly $400,000 each year to nonprofits and schools in southeastern Wisconsin, according to its website. WaterStone has a committee that meets monthly to review charitable donation requests.

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to everyone who helped make this become a reality," Reifenberg said. "This outcome wouldn't have happened without the support of an entire community."