Jan 3, 2004

San Jose Raiders color guard group looks for new home

The San Jose Raiders spent more than 20 years in Willow Glen at 1525 Almaden Expressway. The organization has provided activities for thousands of local youth at a very low cost. The hall, which has housed the rehearsal site for the group’s color guards, dance classes and percussion ensemble, is also home to Raider bingo, which is a local favorite and provides the funding to run the programs. 

On Oct. 1, Simponson Housing Solutions hung an eviction notice on the Raiders’ door and on the doors of several of their neighbors. The company granted the group an extension to the end of 2003, so the Raiders are now without a home. The organization is looking for a bingo hall/rehearsal facility to enable it to continue to run. 

“This is a scary time for our organization. We know the great things we have offered the local youth. It will be sad if we are forced to close our doors and the city of San Jose will suffer a great loss. We are asking for community and local help right now.  We have never asked for a hand out or financial help. We have been a self-sufficient, well-run organization for over 20 years. However, we need someone in our community to step up and help us,” said Tom Andrews, the Raiders’ director.

The San Jose Raiders is a community-based organization emphasizing programs for and providing a positive educational environment through pageantry and performing arts.  It fosters self esteem, a sense of family, camaraderie, achievement and a competitive spirit. It provides the city with an average of $12,000 per year from taxes paid from the group’s bingo games.

The current World Champions for Winter Guard International (WGI), the group offers color guard to youth from age 7 to college age, who are skilled in dance using equipment (flag, sabers and rifles). 
  
The San Jose Raiders need warehouse facilities for rehearsals, which ideally would be about 10,000 square feet with 24-foot clear ceilings. It also needs help to get permits and zoning for its fund-raising bingo games, which are held Thursday evenings 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.