An Ilan County junior high school band that won the highest honor at a recorder competition in Japan on Friday thanked the winner of a NT$400 million (US$12 million) lottery who donated NT$1 million to the school, making their trip to Japan possible.
A Central News Agency report said the recorder band from Wen Hua Junior High was established two years ago.
FIRST PLACE
In January this year, the band won first place in the national recorder competition, securing them a place in a prestigious recorder competition held every year in Japan.
However, the school was forced to consider forfeiting the opportunity when it could not find enough money to fund the trip. It was estimated that the trip would cost at least NT$2 million for the 35-member group and their teacher. The county government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided a subsidy of NT$200,000 for the trip.
Just when the school was about to give up, a Taipei County lottery winner, who won NT$400 million, agreed to donate NT$1 million upon hearing the news, local media reported.
Together with other donations, the band was able to make the Japan trip and eventually won first place in the March 29 competition.
PAYBACK
School officials said that to pay back the kind gesture and the generosity the public has extended to the school, the band would hold a charity recital on June 9 at the Ilan Performance Arts Center.
All proceeds from the recital will be donated to charity, the school said.
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