Drumming for a cause

When Linda Vander Mey saw the Marina High School drumline students performing in the parking lot of Vons on Saturday morning, she knew exactly who they were and what they were doing.

Instead of walking straight to the supermarket in Huntington Beach for a little shopping, she stopped by the table where homemade pastries were being sold to raise funds for the group. Then she wrote a check.

“I just think they’re a great program,” she said. “The band kids never get in trouble. They’re too busy.”

Vander Mey was a band booster parent back in the late 1980s, when her two kids attended Marina High. They were both part of the drumline, and Vander Mey knows exactly about the work that goes into fundraising.

Saturday was the drumline’s fourth annual Drum-a-Thon. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the students practiced songs for their upcoming performances and competition

There were several purposes for the event: The students got to practice; raise needed funds for costumes, equipment and travel; and bring awareness of the program to the community, said Band Director John McGilligan.

“It started as a way to show the community what we’re doing and do a little bit of fundraising,” he said.

For Jared Martinez, 16, the drumline runs in his family.

“It’s something my mom did when she was young, and I started to do it as well,” he said. “It’s hard work, but once you learn to get past that, it’s really satisfying.”

Being in the drumline has also taught him a lot of lessons.

“It makes you stronger as a person and builds up mental endurance,” Jared said.

For more information on the band, go to https://www.marinaband.org.

mona.shadia@latimes.com

Twitter: @MonaShadia