Every year in April, the Concert Choir at Bethany participates in a one-week choir festival with many other Mennonite high schools from around the country. The location and price for the trip changes annually. This year the Concert Choir is planning to go to Freeman, South Dakota, and the price is significantly higher. The way the price is configured is by how far each school has to travel. If most of the schools have to drive further to the festival location, then the price will rise. Once the final budget is determined, it is divided between the number of schools that are participating, so every school is depositing around the same amount towards the festival.
For the festival last year, the choir went to Lansdale, Pennsylvania and participated in rehearsals that lasted all day. These rehearsals prepared choirs for a concert at the end of the week.  There wasn’t much time for relaxation because rehearsals took most of the day. So this year to make the trip as memorable as possible, there are plans to go sightseeing on the way back from South Dakota.
To help raise money for this year’s choir festival, the choir has decided to have a Nelson’s Port-A-Pit Chicken Sale. Since this fundraiser is one of the first Nelson’s Chicken sale of the year, the choir is hoping to have success in raising money to lower the price of the festival. The sale will be held this Saturday, February 15, from 11-3 p.m. It will be located at the Walgreens on Pike St. If there is interest, the best time to come to the sale is before 1:00 p.m. because orders are guaranteed. After 1:00 all orders are based on how much supply is left.
If this fundraiser is a success, then the trip will be more memorable for the Concert Choir. Come support the choir by purchasing some Nelson’s Chicken!
~Brianna Liras