The Oregon Crusaders (OC) is celebrating its finish in the Chase Community Giving contest held on Facebook.

With 7,814 votes, the band finished in the top five of all nonprofits in the nation that were vying for more than $3 million in grants from Chase Bank.

The top 100 nonprofits will receive $25,000 each, while the top five will receive $100,000.

In an effort to further support the Pacific Northwest with arts instruction in brass, percussion and visual ensemble artistry, and a competitive arts experience for area youth, the OC sponsors three programs for students ages 15 to 21: The OC Drum and Bugle Corps, OC Indoor winter percussion ensemble, and the Jefferson High School drumline. More than a dozen Astoria youths have been part of this organization over the past five years.

Leading the charge were Mike Quillen, OC’s corps director, Travis Moddison, OC’s brass caption supervisor, and Mike Stevens, OC’s percussion caption supervisor and director of OC Indoor. More than 100 student members participated in the campaign to get votes for the organization.

“This surprising result of OC’s massive effort to get into the top tier of the voting is thrilling for the whole OC family,” said Dr. Phil Marshall, president of the OC Board of Directors. “The all-night get-out-the-vote blitz that the members and staff held over the last few days of the campaign were a once-in-a-lifetime experience that none of us will ever forget. We can’t thank our supporters enough.”

The OC drum corps and the OC Indoor winter percussion ensemble tour the nation each year, providing its members with valuable performance, musical training and life experience. The OC drum corps is the nation’s silver medalist in open class drum corps, while OC Indoor is a reigning world class drumline finalist in Winter Guard International. 

These programs provide more than 160 individuals the educational, cultural, interpersonal, physical and emotional growth necessary for our them to become leaders in our community.

For information, go to oregoncrusaders.org