This is the second time the HHS Knight Brigade has been invited to participate in the National Memorial Day parade. “It’s one thing to be invited to a party, it’s an honor to be invited back,” is the statement used by band director Alan Montgomery when boasting about the quality of his band.
The trip is not in expensive. It is going to cost $60,000 to participate. No school funds are being used which means individual band members have been doing everything they could to fund the trip.
That has ranged from selling bags of worn shoes to candy, pasta, cleaning yards and even placing flocks of flamingos on yards throughout the town. Couple that with the raffles, bake sales and even hiding Easter eggs and it means there is little the band wouldn't do to finance the trip.
“This is an expensive trip but it is well worthwhile. Its not just about taking the kids to march in the parade. They will be going to Arlington Cemetery, witness the changing of the guard, see the Lincoln, Washington and Jefferson monuments and other memorials. For a lot of the kids this will put them in front of the things they have only read about in history books before,” he added.
Montgomery said the trip is in keeping with a long tradition of the HHS band performing before national audiences.
That started in January 1956 when the band marched in the Rose parade, participated in the 1961 JFK inauguration, played for the Cherry Blossom festival in Washington, D.C. in 1996, and traveled to Canton, Ohio for the Troy Aikman NFL Hall of Fame induction in 2006.
By a twist of the calendar, the Memorial Day parade this year is being held on the same date, May 27, as the one the band participated in six years ago.
The band will be the only Oklahoma marching unit participating in the parade.
That resulted in a special recognition from the Oklahoma House of Representatives when State Rep. Scott Fetgatter presented Montgomery with a resolution from the House of Representatives marking the achievement.
There were (and still are) countless donations and support made to support the Knight Brigade that have not been listed individually; however they are truly appreciated equally. Band members have had incredible contributions made in all of our fundraising efforts and we cannot express enough gratitude to our community.
The Knight Brigade motto throughout this process has been "whatever it takes" and with the help of many friends, family and neighbors the Knight Brigade will proudly be in Washington DC honoring the Nation's Veterans and representing Henryetta, Oklahoma in May 2019.
Donors helping to send the band to Washington include:
Betty Honea, Bob Barnett, Darlene Sandefur, O’Reilly's, First Family Credit Union, Auto Zone, Anna Coker, K&W Carwash, Walmart, Mark Fields, Kim Fields, Dennis and LaDonna Dodge, Pete and Gayle Machetta and family, Bruce Jones, Shawn and Connie Counts, Mary Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sweet, Bobby and Alice Jones, Jo Lynne Ritter, Mary Jane Becker, Mr. and Mrs. Loren Sweet, Austin Tae Kwon Dow, Betty Crandle, Wade's Ice 
House, Christy Jeffcoat, Phyllis Shepard, Vicki Wyrick, Phyllis Wasson, Nancy Wincle, Mary Beth Morris, Mollie Lilly, Mr. and Mrs. Butch Ritter, Lacresa Stout,
Jeanie Duncan, Kathy Johnson, Barnett's Storage Units, David and Anna Moore, Alberta Moore, Pat Sweat, Randy and Jan Prahl, Yvonna Coulter, Rochelle Ruth, Patti Vail, Local Union 40 (Henryetta Glass Plant), First National Bank, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Spurlock, Keith Estes, David Bullard, Main Street Bowl (Ryan and Brandi Sanford), Mr. and Mrs. Darin Johnson, Crosby Real Estate, Yvonne McLaughlin, Mr. and Mrs. Jimmie Potter(and family), James Cox, East Central Electric, The Shack, Cave's Jewelry, Henryetta Dental Center, Randy and Brenda Ritchey, American Legion Post 85, OkInsure/Mr. and Mrs. Donnie Smith, R.E. Palmer CPA Inc., Henryetta Lions Club, VFW Post 539, Sons of American Legion, Mr. and Mrs. 
Steve Tipton, State Farm Insurance/Brent Jenson, Virginia Bezinque, Sherry Crosby, Shoney's, Cheezie's, Rheba's, Paul's Western Store, Mazzio's, Johnny Appleseed, Henryetta Drug Store, Embroidery Plus, Knock Out Tan, Green Country Insurance, Julie Gates, Mollie Gillispie, Janet Renfro, Seth Walker, Sandy Warschaw, Gloria Crawford, Laura Peoples, Misti Maxwell, Jennifer Keightley, Homeland, Mona's Rose of Sharon, Dickey's Oil Pit, All For Your Hair/Tiffany Padgett, Sisson Plumbing, First Christian Church, Mr. and Mrs. Rick Thompson, Sonic, Taco Bell, Mr. Williams, Wilhite Construction, John and Pam Voyles, Tonya Fain, Kassidy Wilhite, Wendall and Candy Thompson.