The Pride of Eastside band has been invited to perform in the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Daytona 500, but despite working hard to raise the money, the kids are falling short and are hoping community support will help them reach their goal.

The iconic race, which is held on Feb. 26, would be a fantastic experience for the band, but it costs more than $500 per student to go. The kids have been raising funds since the summer in an effort to bring the cost below $400 a student, but the Band Boosters still need $5,000 to make this happen.

In addition to performing in the opening ceremonies, the band would also be able to visit and tour historic St. Augustine, Fla. 

For more information, or to donate, contact director Alan Fowler at (770) 786-5922 or at fowler.alan@newton.k12.