Gilbert bands join together to help Tracy family

One year ago, the community came together around Gilbert's Mesquite High School when assistant band director Chris Rainer died after a car crash.

This weekend, members of the Mesquite High band will hold a carwash to help raise funds for the family of a Highland High School band member who died in a crash Nov. 15 in Mesa.

They will join the members of the Gilbert, Desert Ridge and Highland bands also planning carwashes.

"We know exactly what it's like to lose a band member," said Kayla Inmon, 17, a senior at Mesquite. "It's like losing a family member."

Highland sophomore Kelly Tracy died Saturday after a crash that also injured her brother, Matt, a senior at the school. They were traveling to participate with the band in the Gilbert Days Parade.

Mesa police say Manuel Contreras-Galdean was impaired by alcohol when he failed to yield as he was making a left turn at the intersection of Sossaman and Guadalupe roads. Manslaughter and aggravated assault charges were filed against him this week.

Mesquite High band director Ron Andre said the idea to help the Tracy family came Saturday when members learned of the crash after marching in the parade.

"The biggest thing is the band world knows band is a family," Andre said. "When Chris was killed, the community all came to support us. We know what they're going through."

A few days after Rainer's death last year, Gilbert High School's band hosted a marching competition. The band members put together blue ribbons for every participant in the competition to wear in memory of Rainer - close to 2,000 people, Andre said.

Today at Highland High, a vigil will be held to remember Kelly Tracy. Family and friends are making teal ribbons for everyone attending. Highland band booster parents have invited band members from across the East Valley.

"The support has been overwhelming," said Maureen Allison, whose son, Jay, is on the drum line with Matt Tracy. Kelly was a member of the percussion ensemble.

Chandler High School's band is traveling this weekend, but started a collection this week for the Tracy family, said assistant band director Ryan Semrau.

"Band is something that is universal," Semrau said. "It's a family whether you're in one program or another. You help each other out. In the case of a loss of a member, I think any program would try to step forward and lend a helping hand to that family."

During an annual banquet on Monday, the parents at Tempe's Marcos de Niza High School took up a collection for the Tracy family and on Friday they delivered food for the reception after Kelly's memorial, said Joanie Stoddard, president of the Marcos de Niza marching band booster club.

Marcos de Niza has felt its own loss. In May 2006, band member Sean Andujar, 17, was killed on his way to a band event by an alcohol impaired driver.

On Nov. 14, the driver, Raymond Kohan, was sentenced to nine years in prison after he was found guilty of manslaughter and endangerment in July.

Several young adults who were seniors with Andujar attended the sentencing, Stoddard said.

"They talked about how they miss him every day. They didn't get through it without weeping," she said.

The next afternoon, she said, she heard about Kelly Tracy's death.

"It is just absolutely the most tragic thing," she said. "The band is so close. It really affects everybody."

Tracy's memorial was held Friday at Mesa's City of Grace Church.

Carwashes and vigil

All four Gilbert Unified School District high schools will hold carwashes today to raise funds for the family of Kelly Tracy, a Highland High School band member who died Nov. 15 in a crash.

• 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Highland High band members will be in front of the school, 4301 E. Guadalupe Road.
• 8 a.m. to noon: Mesquite High band members will be at the Sonic on the northeast corner of Val Vista Drive and Williams Field Road.
• 9 a.m. to noon: Gilbert High band members will be at the 24 Hour Fitness at Val Vista Drive and Elliot Road.
• 9 a.m. to noon: Desert Ridge band members will be at Valero gas station on the southwest corner of Guadalupe and Ellsworth roads, Mesa.

Vigil: A candlelight vigil will be 6:30 p.m. today at Highland High. The community and band members from around the Valley are invited. Band members are asked to wear their band shirts. The vigil will end with a moment of silence about 8:30 p.m.

Want to help? Donations to the Kelly Tracy Memorial Fund are being accepted at all Washington Mutual branches.