JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Members of the Fletcher High School marching band are putting a band-aid on what they call an open wound.
"It's just a lot of durability issues," said senior Logan Arroyo.
He's been dealing with broken drum parts for four years and he isn't alone. Some equipment is being held together with duct tape.
"There's sometimes where you just have to make it work and you just make it work," Arroyo said. "But, other times I wish I had something better."
Band Director Randy Salinas says all of the equipment needs to be replaced, but with continued cuts to arts programs, finding the money to do it on their own is impossible.
"We are trying to repair as much as we possibly can and maintain the instruments that we have while on top of that trying to purchase new instruments for our growing band program," Salinas said.
A GoFundMe page was created to help the band raise enough money for new percussion instruments which Band Boosters Chairwoman Lisa Sandstrom says has the greatest need right now.
"We are trying to prioritize where do we need to start," she said. "After this particular goal is met, then it will be on to the next goal and the next goal."
The overall goal: $100,000 which is the cost to replace everything. Some pieces are 25 years old.
The $13,000 GoFundMe goal would cover the cost to replace percussion instruments before Oct. 12, the band's first competition.
For more information on the fundraiser, click here.
The band is holding a mattress sale and fundraiser inside the school's gym on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.