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UF Marching Band Heads To London For Olympics

GAINESVILLE (CBSMiami/AP) – London is getting a taste of the Gator Nation this week. The University of Florida's Pride of the Sunshine marching band flew to London Sunday to perform at the Summer Olympics.

More than 230 band members and 15 staff members left Sunday for an eight-day trip, according to The Gainesville Sun.

They'll perform for the U.S. Embassy and at an event before the opening ceremonies.

The trip cost about $1 million. Each student was responsible for paying $4,000, either on their own or through fundraising. The newspaper reports the UF provost's office chipped in about $100,000 and they got another $25,000 from the University Athletic Association.

Band members will also do some sightseeing, taking in Stonehenge and the Warner Brothers studios where the Harry Potter movies were filmed.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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