07/08/2026
A Message from Your 2025-26 CHIME IN Board
As our year comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to say thank you — and goodbye.
This year asked a lot of us. We navigated fundraising challenges, logistics that changed by the day, and the kind of unpredictable curveballs that come with running a nonprofit built entirely on volunteer hours and community goodwill. There were early mornings, late-night emails, and more spreadsheets than any of us care to admit. But every single challenge was worth it, because it was never really about us — it was about the kids.
And what a year it turned out to be. We watched our students grow, perform, and represent Chimacum with pride at every event — from the Rhododendron Festival to the Montgomery Auditorium dedication to community concerts that reminded us why this program matters so much to this town.
Then came Washington, D.C.
None of us could have scripted how that trip unfolded — including a canceled parade, extreme heat, and a group of kids who, instead of letting the disappointment win, helped organize an impromptu concert with bands from across the country in the lobby of a national museum. Watching our Chimacum Cowboys stand shoulder to shoulder with students from California, Wisconsin, and Florida, playing music together as the trip's closing chapter, was a moment none of us will forget. It was chaotic, it was emotional, and it was everything we hoped this program could give our kids: resilience, connection, and the kind of memory that lasts a lifetime.
Serving on this board has been one of the great privileges (and maybe even the greatest stressors) of our year. We didn't do it for recognition — we did it because these kids, this band, and this community deserve people willing to show up for them. And we believe we leave this program stronger than we found it.
To the incoming 2026-27 board: thank you for stepping up. You're inheriting a program with heart, momentum, and a community that believes in it. We're cheering for you, and we can't wait to see where you take it next.
To the Chimacum Cowboys Band, band families, and everyone who supported us this year — thank you for trusting us with something so important. It's been an honor.
With gratitude,
Jesse Bland, Samantha Bradley, and Jackson Colcord �The 2025-26 CHIME IN – Chimacum Band Boosters Board
