Brevard school upset over not receiving $3.2 million pledge from alumni

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — A 1970 Merritt Island High School graduate pledged $3.2 million to the school, but the money was never received, officials said on Thursday.

Last May, Tom Garo made the generous pledge to the high school, on behalf of a group of fellow alumni.

School officials said Garo had until the end of March to make good on the promise.

His attorney told WFTV that the $3.2 million pledge depended on a real estate deal, which fell through. Garo's attorney admitted that Garo should have communicated that contingency.

The situation began a year ago when Garo told the band he would donate $3,000 if they'd play for his high school reunion. The band played and the months went by, but they never saw the money.

However, Garo and his partners presented the band with a big check.

"They surprised us. They said since it had been so long, they were going to give us another $97,000, so they presented us a $100,000 check, and I was shocked," said Jimmy Higginbotham, Merritt Island High School band director.

"Everyone was taking pictures with it," said student Julia Duffin.

Garo and a group of partners eventually pledged $3.2 million to the school for sports facility improvements, and a scholarship program for at-risk kids.

But after multiple delays and deadlines, the band director threw away the big check, along with big hopes for new instruments.

"We have a lot of broken instruments," said student Michael Laffitte.

WFTV found out that some of the school's band equipment dates back to when the school opened in 1965.

"I don't know who would get kids hopes up," said student Julia Duffin.

Garo's attorney told WFTV in an email: "Mr. Garo, along with several other partners, pledged a gift to the school.  The group's gift depended upon a real estate transaction closing.  Admittedly, that contingency was not conveyed.  It should have been, but wasn't.  The deal fell through, as did many real estate deals in recent years.  The group has still been committed to following through on the pledge, although the negative publicity from the press and comments from the school over the group's inability to timely perform on what is supposed to be a gift, has taken more than a little wind out of their sails.  The group is still committed, but the school and community could stand to take a few lessons in etiquette, lest they end up with nothing more to show for their ungrateful impatience than their unwarranted selfish bitterness toward a group of men who simply and genuinely wanted to help them."

Higginbotham said the worst part is that their fundraising is down, because people believed the school was getting a lot of money, so they didn't donate as much.

WFTV