WINDSOR, Colo. -- Less than seven months after their town was devasted by a tornado, Windsor is celebrating a unique honor. Its high school marching band has been chosen to march in the inauguration parade for President-elect Barack Obama.

Band members, parents and Windsor High School staff members got the news in a phone call from Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Monday morning. The governor said the Windsor High band was the only band in Colorado selected to march in the parade.

The May 22 tornado devastated their town and more than 75 homes, but students say that playing music has allowed them to escape. The performance season for the marching band started days later, but the students didn't quit.

"And honestly, I didn't know if half the band would even still be here. I didn't know if they'd move away or whatever they have to do to make it. And what was really cool was the day, the bus showed up to go to Laramie, Wyo., every single kid got on board," said Band Director Matt Drase. "We told them at the beginning that there's no other band like this one ever again. So let's make the most of this. And they have.

The tornado helped unite instead of divide them and the marching band won the Class 3A state championship last month.

"No, I think it just kind of drove us to kind of have happiness rather than all the sadness that wass part of our lives," said senior Evan Olson.

The group plans to show the Commander in Chief what perserverance looks and sounds like.

"'Cause you only go to high school for four years. And there's only an inauguration every four years. And this is the year we won state so it's like ..." said sophomore Savannah Jaska.

"Everything's happening all at once," her friend, Sarah Elens, continued.

Of the more than 1,400 applicants for the parade, 56 entries from around the country were selected.

Even though it is an honor, it is an expensive one. It will cost each of the 75 band members $1,500 to pay for the four-day trip to D.C. If you would like to contribute to the Windsor High School band, send a check payable to WHS Music Booster to P.O. Box 244, Windsor, CO 80550.

Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Co.) said he is proud of the band and he recently wrote a letter to the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee supporting their application to be in the parade.

Salazar said a patriotic horseback riding group from Colorado will also be in the parade. The Freedom Riders Web site said the group carries its American flags on horseback. Their goal is to honor the members of our military and to recognize all Americans, whose daily work is to protect our homeland. They also appeared in the 2005 Presidential Inaugural Parade.