By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

The Geneseo Performing Arts Program keeps growing at Geneseo High School and with that growth comes the need for additional equipment, including a second enclosed trailer.

That need became a reality when the Tim Clifton American Family Insurance and the Clifton Family contributed funds for the purchase of a new trailer.

The GHS program now has a 32-foot trailer and a 20-foot trailer to move their marching equipment to and from competitions and to use for various other events during the school year.

John Versluis, director of bands at GHS, explained how purchasing a second trailer recently was made possible…”The discussion for a second trailer for the marching band started during the 2019-2020 school year,” he said. “During that marching band season, our current large trailer was packed full and not only did we borrow one of the school district’s trailers, but multiple parents were also using their vehicles to haul equipment for the marching band.”

In the 2021-2022 school year, it was again necessary to borrow one of the school district’s trailers that was small and not in the best shape, Versluis said. “We were able to make it work, but again had additional vehicles hauling our equipment to competitions.”

This last summer, 20222, in working with the Tim Clifton family and their American Family Insurance Agency in Moline, Versluis learned they were interested in helping out the band with contributing to costs for the Color Guard…”They actually purchased the white race jacket the color guard wore during our show this past season.

The Clifton’s daughter, Sophia Clifton, a sophomore at GHS, did the designs for the jackets.

Just prior to a conversation between Versluis and Tim Clifton, Versluis said he saw that someone from Geneseo had posted a lightly used trailer in excellent condition for sale.

“It just so happened that the trailer was the actual size we were originally discussing with the band parents who pull our trailers for marching band,” Versluis said.

The Clifton couple, Tim and Sonja, offered to match a $2,000 donation from their American Family Insurance to put $4,000 toward the purchase of the trailer. The Geneseo Performing Arts Council then voted to pay the additional $3,000 of the total asking price of $7,000 for the 20-foot covered trailer.

Versluis said the family selling the trailer also had and do have students in the Performing Arts Program and Versluis said, “We appreciate that the family worked with us while we secured the needed funds and did not sell the trailer to someone else.”

The two trailers now belonging to the Performing Arts Program have been well maintained and have recently been re-wrapped with the help of a donation from Central Bank.

The two trailers carry student instruments, percussion and mallet instruments, uniforms, props, sound system and anything else that might be needed for the marching band, and Versluis added, “The trailers also have been used by the maintenance department to transport chairs for the graduation ceremonies in the last couple years...We are blessed and grateful to have such supportive parents, booster club members and community members.”

There currently are 140 students in band and 98 choir students in the GHS Performing Arts Program.