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Ashland High School Marching Band Instruments Stolen
What was supposed to be the “performance of a lifetime” turned into a nightmare for the students of the Ashland High School Marching Band. After four years of tireless fundraising and meticulous planning, the band from Ashland, Ohio, arrived in Orlando last week to fulfill their dream of marching down Main Street, U.S.A. in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
However, on the morning of Sunday, March 29, the students woke up to a devastating discovery at their International Drive hotel: their locked equipment trailer had been broken into, and thousands of dollars worth of instruments were missing.
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More Than Just Equipment
The theft stripped the ensemble of essential instruments, including clarinets, trumpets, trombones, and saxophones. While the monetary value is staggering, the emotional toll on the students is far greater. For many of these young musicians, the instruments were not just tools—they were cherished family heirlooms.
“They are handed down to them from family members; they’re gifts,” band mom Brigitte Klotzek told FOX 35. “They have a lot of memories with them. So it’s a little bit more than just an instrument for a lot of the kids.”
In one particularly heartbreaking instance, a student lost an instrument that had been a gift from their father shortly before he passed away. As Klotzek noted, “This is something that cannot be really replaced.”
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The Show Must Go On
Despite the shock and the “nightmare” start to their trip, the Ashland High School Marching Band refused to let the thieves steal their moment. Demonstrating incredible resilience, the group was able to secure rented equipment on short notice.
Determined to honor the four years of hard work it took to get to Florida, the band successfully moved forward with their scheduled performance. They proudly marched through the Magic Kingdom, proving that while their physical instruments may have been taken, their spirit and dedication remained fully intact.
Ongoing Investigation
The Orlando Police Department is currently looking into the theft at the I-Drive hotel. Details are limited, but the community is being asked to keep an eye out for high-end woodwind and brass instruments appearing on resale markets.
For a group of students who worked since 2022 to reach this stage, the trip will be remembered for both a cruel injustice and the triumphant standing ovation they earned on the world’s most famous parade route.
If you would like to donate, they have a GoFundMe set up to help get their instruments back!
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