Chelsea Bossert/Daily Mining Gazette Chassell School Band Director, Kari Noll, said she hopes to continue the more than 40-year tradition of the Chassell Country Western Show this year at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts, which is a popular program fundraiser. 

CHASSELL — An annual fundraising effort is returning to the Copper Country once again. The Chassell Country Western Show will start at 5:30 p.m. on May 9 at Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.

The money raised through ticket sales and donations will go towards the Chassell Township Schools Music Program. Band Director, Kari Noll, said due to the school’s limited student population and lack of funding towards her program, she and band booster club volunteers need to pick up the slack.

“So, all the money raised will go towards us and our band,” she said. “We have a small budget with a small school and most of our instruments are, well, probably 40 or 50 years old.”

One issue Noll is facing is providing new instruments to band members. Noll said a commonly used band instrument, such as a baritone saxophone, can cost up to $7,800. “We heavily rely on fundraising to get new instruments in general,” she said. “A [baritone] sax isn’t something a student would rent from a rental place — it would be so expensive.”

Noll said past fundraising efforts were fruitful for the band. Since she took over the program last year, Noll said she started out with four students. Money has been tight for the program.

“Our community is what makes our band thrive,” she said. “We’ve had so much community support in the past … the band was huge. I mean, it was one of those classes that has the majority of the high school in it.”

According to Noll, 22 students will be participating in the program next academic year. It is a big jump since the beginning of last year. Noll said she hopes the Chassell Band can continue the more than 40-year tradition of the Country Western Show Fundraiser.

“There are some different sentiments about giving in the younger generations that just didn’t exist before,” she said. “A lot of this sort of sentiment towards band is that, it’s not necessary. But it does nurture a lot of different talents for kids that they wouldn’t get in a particular academic setting.”

To donate to the Chassell Band fund, visit chassell-band—notes-from-home.square.site. Tickets are on sale for the show at events.mtu.edu/event/chassell-country-western-show-2026.