When UW–Platteville music instructor Matthew Gregg began directing the Marching Pioneers in 2004, there were 77 members.

By last fall, that number had more than doubled.

Thrilled by the band’s growth, Gregg said the only challenge is outfitting them all.

Members without uniforms wear a special T-shirt and shorts combination as a temporary solution, but given that the current uniforms are nearly 20 years old and no longer meet the branding guidelines of the university, new uniforms are being pursued for the long run.

To help raise funds, the music program is partnering with the UW–Platteville Foundation to offer opportunities to sponsor a Marching Pioneers member for $500.

“Marching bands on college campuses are like athletic teams, musical organizations and cheerleaders all rolled into one,” said Gregg. “They are one of the most visible and identifiable components of this and any other university.”

Annelise Roti Roti, a UW–Platteville mechanical engineering major from Green Lake, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Scholar with minors in French and music performance, began playing the baritone with the Marching Pioneers as a freshman.

“Being in the Marching Pioneers was one of the best decisions I made,” said Roti Roti, who is also the social coordinator for the UW–Platteville Alliance, a French tutor, and an active member of the UW–Platteville French Club and Society of Women Engineers. “Though being in marching band was tough sometimes, every minute was worth the work. The feeling that came from a well-done show or parade was nothing less than amazing. The camaraderie within the band is wonderful, and meeting all of those musicians made finding friends and other organizations to join very easy. I can’t wait to march again next year!”

To learn more about how to sponsor a Marching Pioneer, contact Stacia Nemitz, UW–Platteville Foundation development officer, 342-6122, nemitzs@uwplatt.edu.