American Fork band cashing in Macy's 'rain check'

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AMERICAN FORK - Members of the American Fork High School marching band chose playing in President Bush's second inaugural parade over Thanksgiving in New York City.

This fall, they're raising money for another trip to the East Coast to cash in on a rain check to play in one of the country's biggest parades.

Band director John Miller said it would have been too much for the band members and parents to try to come up with the money for two big trips, so he asked organizers of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade if the school could delay the invitation.

''I don't think anyone had ever done that,'' Miller said. ''It was really unusual, but they said OK.''

The 260-member band is trying to raise $390,000 to pay for the trip to New York for the parade on Nov. 22.