Brett Favre’s alma mater needs donations to make Hall of Fame induction

In Brett Favre fashion, the Hancock High School band is opting for the Hail Mary.

The band is attempting to raise funds to make it to Canton, Ohio, where Kiln native and legendary Mississippi quarterback Brett Favre will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Favre’s alma mater band, the Pride of Hancock, has been invited to take part in the Hall of Fame Festival parade on Aug. 6.

Band boosters are trying to raise approximately $32,000 to pay for the three-day trip. Funds will pay for charter buses, food and housing for 120 members of the band.

The band has a way to go. A GoFundMe page has been set up and publicized on Facebook. As of Thursday, the band director said they had raised about $13,000 from the page and other sources.

To help, boosters are selling a limited number of T-shirts at $20 each. The T-shirts feature the words “Brett Favre’s journey from Kiln to Canton” and display his famous No. 4 on the back. They can be purchased online.

Up to 200,000 spectators are expected to attend the induction events, which include the Class of 2016 enshrinement on Aug. 6.

During every home football game, the Pride of Hancock marches past a statue honoring the NFL great on the way to Brett Favre Field.

Favre attended Hancock North Central High School, renamed Hancock High School, where he earned three letters in football and five letters in baseball, leading his team in hitting each season he played.

After leading the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles for four years, Favre went to the NFL, drafted by the Atlanta Falcons before being traded to the Green Bay Packers, where he and his team won Super Bowl XXXI in New Orleans.

Favre was the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for 500 touchdowns, throw for more than 70,000 yards, have 6,000 completions and throw more than 10,000 passes. He is the only player to win the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award three consecutive times. Favre was MVP in 1995 and 1996 and co-MVP with Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders in 1997.

This story was originally published July 21, 2016 at 11:14 AM with the headline "Brett Favre’s alma mater needs donations to make Hall of Fame induction."