秋葵视频

If you were in a Statesboro restaurant or hangout on a Friday before a home football game last year,聽聽you may have been startled by a clandestine group of Southern Pride Marching Band members who have dubbed themselves, 鈥楽outhern Pride To-Go.鈥櫬犅燛ach Friday before a Georgia Southern home football game, a small group of musicians raids restaurants and hangouts throughout Statesboro playing the fight songs and other popular tunes to get fans fired up for Saturday鈥檚 game. 鈥淭his is quickly becoming a popular Georgia Southern tradition,鈥� says Colin McKenzie, director of the Southern Pride Marching Band.聽聽鈥淚t started with a simple idea 鈥� nine to 10 marching band members and a van.聽聽People loved it last year and we鈥檙e excited about this year.鈥� The idea began when McKenzie and University Marketing & Communications Director, Christian Flathman sat down and talked about ways to get fans, alumni and the City of Statesboro excited about upcoming home football games.聽聽鈥淲hen we first started calling local restaurants and hangouts, there was a lot of silence on the other end of the phone when we told them about the idea,鈥� says Flathman.聽聽鈥淎fter the first week, people started asking if we would come back the next Friday and then it took on a life of its own.鈥� How it Works Each home football game week the band selects where it will be going on Friday night. Volunteer musicians from the University鈥檚 Southern Pride Marching Band sign up to be considered and are selected for the group.聽聽They meet on campus and after a quick warm up, pile into a multi-passenger van and then head to their first location.聽聽When they arrive at a location – which is only known to the band and business owner – the band piles out of the vehicle as fast as they can and immediately goes into the restaurant to begin playing. 鈥淲hen you see nine marching band members run in with drums, tubas, trombones, trumpets and more it kind of catches you by surprise,鈥� says Flathman.聽聽鈥淟ast year, we had a couple of people jump out of their chairs when they started playing the fight song in the middle of the restaurant.鈥� The band will play three to four quick tunes and then immediately run out, jump back in the vehicle and head to their next location.聽聽They repeat the fun until they have completed their route for the evening. 鈥淟ocal business owners love it because they have students, alumni and fans coming to their business and asking if the band is coming by tonight.聽聽Even better, we had opposing teams鈥� fans saying 鈥榯his is awesome鈥�,鈥� says Flathman.聽聽鈥淲e want everyone to get excited about the University.聽聽If they show up when you鈥檙e out to dinner or having a good time, we hope you鈥檒l join in with them.鈥� 鈥淭his was one of those ideas that was different and no one really expected it and I think that鈥檚 what makes it great,鈥� says McKenzie, who has to narrow down a huge list of volunteers each week.聽聽鈥淲e have an incredibly dedicated group of musicians who love to perform and the Friday Night Band is a great way to showcase the group.聽聽The smiles and cheers we get when we come running in are worth it.聽聽We鈥檝e already been asked if we鈥檙e doing it again this year and my answer is, yes鈥�but we鈥檙e not telling you when or where we鈥檙e going to show up.鈥� Businesses interested in learning more about 鈥楽outhern Pride To-Go鈥� or supporting the band can contact Colin McKenzie at 912-478-5396 or via e-mail at:聽cmckenzie@georgiasouthern.edu. 秋葵视频, a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University founded in 1906, offers more than 120 degree programs serving more than 20,000 students. Through eight colleges, the University offers bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚 and doctoral degree programs built on more than a century of academic achievement.聽聽In 2012, the University was named one of the Top 10 most popular universities in the country by聽U.S. News & World Report聽and is a top choice of Georgia鈥檚 HOPE scholars.聽 Georgia Southern is recognized for its student-centered approach to education. Visit:聽www.georgiasouthern.edu.