When the University of Akron’s marching band takes to the field this football season, members will be wearing new uniforms that sport “Akron” on the sleeves.
Traditionally, the uniforms have had “Akron” on them, but the new ones were ordered last year without the city’s name. The removal prompted an outcry by some UA supporters, causing some to cut back donations.
The name quietly returned to the uniforms, raincoats and garment bags during spring break due to a donation from a member of the Women’s Committee of UA.
“We were able to get the embroidery over the sleeves like they were on our other uniforms,” Galen Karriker, the director of bands, said. “Akron is also on the raincoats and on the garment bags; it’s above the Z. It looks just like it was there from day one.”
The committee had contributed $11,000 to help pay for raincoats and carrying bags when the university first purchased the new uniforms. But when the items were delivered and the Akron name was nowhere to be found, the group vowed to withhold future funding and started a letter-writing campaign in protest.
Because of the uproar, UA spokesman Wayne Hill said, “My understanding is that former President [Scott] Scarborough asked then-chief of staff Paul Herold to have ‘Akron’ embroidered on the band uniforms.”
Karriker said the call came at the beginning of the year in January or February from Herold, who asked him if he could “make it happen” and how much it would cost.
“Yes we did make it happen last spring with financial help from one member, Judy Read, who was able to see the uniforms and raincoats before pancreatic cancer claimed her life in May,” said Louise Harvey, president of the Women’s Committee of UA.
Read graduated from UA where she met her husband, Roger Read. She was active in the community, and the Reads are known for their financial generosity.
The band uniforms cost about $168,000. The old ones were 18 years old, past the normal life expectancy of nine years. There were 325 uniforms purchased. The cost for the raincoats, garment bags and plumes was $26,000.
University officials couldn’t say how much it cost to add “Akron” to the items or how much was paid by Judy Read. An initial amount of $11,375 was proposed, according to members of the Women’s Committee.
Karriker said the original discussion with the uniform company, the same company the university used 19 seasons ago, revealed it might not be possible to add the name without tearing off the sleeve, and when it was reattached, the garment risked never looking the same.
But the representative, Dwight Miller of Stanbury/Midway Uniforms, called Karriker back with good news.
“We normally don’t do that, putting something on uniforms after the fact; it’s very rare that a request like that happens,” Miller said. “We had to buy a part to add for the embroidery part of this, but the folks in the seamstress office figured out a way to make it happen without having to pull them apart.”
He said it pleased all the parties involved at the University of Akron.
“At the end of the day, we appreciate that the previous administration helped us get these uniforms, because we needed them desperately,” said Karriker. “I don’t know what happened behind closed doors and how this message came to pass, but I certainly appreciate however the decision was made, that we were able to have the opportunity to put Akron back on the uniform.
“I think it’s a positive thing for our community, our band program and our band alumni.”
Marilyn Miller can be reached at 330-996-3098 or mmiller@thebeaconjournal.com.