GREEN TOWNSHIP — This fall the Green High School Marching Band will strut its stuff during competitions on the football fields of many schools, from Athens to Portsmouth West.

And thanks to support from the community and hard working fundraisers, the band will don new uniforms for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Adam Phillips, director of bands for Green Local Schools, said both normal wear and tear of the old uniforms and growing enrollment for the marching band led to organizing fundraisers to purchase the new uniforms.

“For this upcoming fall we have 58 members in the high school marching band, which is up from around 40 last year,” Phillips said.

In April, the band ordered 60 new uniforms at a total cost of $20,094.50. About a third of the costs have been raised so far.

“We have sold Amish pies a couple times last year, for Thanksgiving and Easter, fruit at Christmas time, and have had our concession stand for all home basketball games,” Phillips said. “So far we have been able to make the first payment of $6,631.19 and we need to make a payment of that same amount again when the uniforms arrive later this month.”

After that, the band has one year to pay off the remaining balance.

From now until Sept. 1, band members are participating in three different fundraisers to help pay off the uniforms.

Phillips said a new 50/50 Club has the potential to bring in the most money for the band.

Band members will sell tickets that act as membership to the club, which lasts from September 2012 to May 2013.

Tickets will be drawn two times per month and ticket holders will win up to $200.

“We are also planning on hosting a drawing at both the winter concert and the spring concert, which we will give away a larger amount at those two drawings,” Phillips said.

The tickets are $30 for the year and are not limited on the number of times one may win, Phillips said.

“We currently have 355 tickets made and ready to sell,” said Phillips. “If we are able to sell all of those tickets, we will be able to give out $5,325 in winnings throughout the year, so obviously the more tickets we sell, the higher the winnings will be.”

In addition to the 50/50 Club, the band is selling Spirit Cups in packs of four for $15. Cups are available in NFL, MLB and college teams, as well as military and pink cups to support breast cancer.

Band members are also selling Little Caesar’s Pizza kits.

Anyone interested in purchasing any of the fundraising items contact either a band member or Phillips. Phillips can be reached at the school at (740) 354-9150 ext. 3109 or by email at adam.phillips@green.k12.oh.us.