PORT NECHES, Texas — The Port Neches-Groves High School band is busy preparing for Saturday's big championship game.
Now thanks to a group of community members the band has an extra $8,800 to spend as they travel to Arlington on December 16.
A PNG High School teacher and several members of the Temple Church in Port Arthur donated the money that has the community talking.
The high school principal Dr. Scott Ryan posted a letter on Facebook telling people they can now "cease donating for the state game."
Although the band was well taken care of for this trip, the money will help boost the Purple Pride ahead of the game, according to Dr. Ryan.
"They work so hard and this is just an accumulation and an absolute payoff to celebrate at AT&T Stadium. We're so excited about that," he said.
After their big win in the semi-finals, Dr. Ryan received a call from one of his teachers wanting to do something extraordinary for the PNG band.
"My first response was 'we're fine. we're taking care of them.'," said Dr. Ryan.
But the teacher, who wishes to stay anonymous, refused to take no for an answer.
"To be honest with you, I thought it might be a check or two. I didn't think it was going to be that big of a deal," Dr. Ryan said.
The teacher and members of The Temple managed to raise over $8,000 after a Facebook post was made.
"Someone made a statement on Facebook and it just grew from there. Our community jumped on and donations started piling in," Dr. Ryan told 12News.
PNG band director Alex Wells couldn't believe how the community came together to support his students.
"First of all, I was floored by the generosity of our community," said Wells.
Dr. Ryan and Wells agree that the band could use the extra motivation ahead of their 3 a.m. drive to Arlington on Saturday morning.
"Now we get to give them a little bit extra. And with this lock-in we're gonna be doing, we get to feed them there and kind of give them a few more things, and, I guess, pamper them a little bit more than we were going to," said Wells.
Because it's such a generous donation Wells and Dr. Ryan say other PNG students will also benefit from it.
"Project Graduation, a community-wide service event we call 'Indians Give.' Prom, that kind of stuff," Dr. Ryan said.
PNG has all the elements needed for a successful gameday; a battle-tested football team, a well-fed band and a nurturing community.
"I'm ready for an Indians win this year. I think we're gonna do it!" Wells said.
The group that donated the money told 12News, they want the students to have a memorable once in a lifetime experience on their trip to Arlington.