Norvell Band Shell: A Sound Thing

Billed as "A Sound Thing", a band shell is planned for City Park to focus the music of bands and other musical performances
out to the audience. Money is now being raised in a citizen driven fund drive to build the Larry Norvell Band Shell.

The facility will be named in honor of Larry Norvell, 80, who was director of the Manhattan Municipal Band for 45 years.
He was also director of bands and music coordinator for the Manhattan-Ogden School District for 38 years.

The new band shell and a new Arts in the Park stage will be built on the present Arts in the Park site. Architect for the
project, Bruce McMillan, estimates the cost will be in the neighborhood of $300,000, although the final figure will not be
known until plans are completed.

Lowell Jack, chairman of the Parks Improvement Task Force, is leading the fund raising effort. Jack started the drive for
funds with a letter to 3,000 former students of Norvell. This brought contributions from 30 states and 28 cities and towns in
Kansas, along with letters of praise for Norvell concerning the impact he had on the students’ lives.

"Most of the gifts are in the $5 to $500 range", Jack said, "however we have received two $10,000 contributions, several
$5,000 contributions and quite a number of $1,000 gifts".

The money is going into the Larry Norvell Band Shell Trust, held in the city’s accounting department. The account is interest
bearing. Fund raising efforts have included a hot dog feed and an ice cream social held at the municipal band concerts.
T-shirts bearing the architect’s rendering of the band shell are being sold for $15 at Varney’s Book Store and Ballard’s
Sporting Goods, both in Aggieville.

Jack indicated those individuals, businesses or clubs giving $1,000 or more will get their name on a plaque to be placed near
the new band shell and stage. Since construction will not start until the fall of 2001 contributions may be split over two years.
He said some individuals and organizations are giving half their gift this year and half next year.

Checks should be made payable to Band Shell Trust and mailed to City of Manhattan, Accounting Department.