Person to watch: Michele Renee Bowman

Band Boosters and musicians at Soddy-Daisy High School were jubilant when they received an invitation in October 2008, to march in the 2010 Tournament of Roses Parade.

All that stood between them and Pasadena, Calif., was a fundraising campaign of more than $300,000.

"We had a couple of weeks to be excited, and then I woke up Nov. 13 (2008) to banks failing, the Bernie Madoff scandal and Wall Street taking a plunge. That's when I wondered for the first time how in the world we were going to do this," says Michele Bowman, Band Booster president at that time.

Under her guidance, the band last month met its goal of $325,000.

Fifty-seven fundraisers were held over one year, sometimes more than one a weekend. HGTV recently requested an interview with her on the recommendation of Tournament of Roses Parade president Jeff Throop, whom she impressed with her dedication to her band.

In addition to her day job as a vice president at FSG Bank, Mrs. Bowman helped plan and work all fundraisers, made media appearances, called on corporations and foundations, celebrated one son's high school graduation, then planned her daughter's October wedding. When her term as booster president ended, she remained as fundraising chairman with the new title Rose Parade liaison/coordinator.

"Michele has also been the point person with the tournament people," said Eric Majors, Soddy-Daisy band director. "They suggest band directors find someone to be the paperwork guru. There have been miles of paperwork she has handled, which has taken a great load off me.

"The only way I can comprehend how she does it is that there must be more hours in her day than everyone else's," said Mr. Majors.

What fundraising experience did you have prior to this?

The most I had ever done was sell Girl Scout cookies for my daughter when she was young.

When did fundraising begin?

Our first fundraiser was Nov. 20, 2008; a jazz concert and chili supper at the high school. It raised more than $5,000. That's a lot of chili.

What were the most lucrative fundraisers?

The top two were a spring concert and silent auction at the Tivoli Theatre that raised almost $10,000, and every breakfast or supper we did raised more than $4,000. Hamilton County residents like to eat!

How was the $325,000 divided?

Students had to raise $1,250 each and the boosters supplemented the rest, close to $25,000. Then we had to have new instruments (our tubas were over 18 years old) and that was $75,000. So boosters had to raise at least $100,000.

I formulated two groups from my booster parents: Individual Fundraising and Corporate Fundraising. Individual fundraising came up with ideas students could do on their own and all their proceeds went directly into their accounts (candy sales, coupon book sales). The corporate group came up with large events that would help what the boosters had to raise and also solicited funds from grants and foundations.

Was the work worth it?

When our students turn the corner at Colorado Boulevard and Orange Grove and hear the roar from 1 million pedestrians on the streets ... yeah, it will be worth it.