2013 Marching Band Thread

[luvmyfam444]

so I thought our colorguard was beginning to look good. Though last Fri was a mess...they had just learned new flag work on Thurs (for the 4th movement) - so of course that was messy. And then this week they changed to dance work @ the beginning of the show. WHAT!?!?!? They have been working on that for what 6-8wks now & they are going to change it NOW!?!?!?


Not so sure now what the show is going to look like this week.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Our football team got hammered last night, but our band won . The other band was very good, but they carry their music. I would have more respect for them if they memorized their music.

REALLY??? I hope they eventually take their music away. of course it may be harder to march & read music @ the same time.

 

[luvmyfam444]

At the end of the home games, our school has been having the football team and cheerleaders go over to the band stands and while the band plays the alma matter the football team stands attentively at the end of the song, they all cheer for the school and each other. So neat to see such a big part of the school salute each other. And then the baseball team cleans the trash in the stadium! And the JR ROTC directs traffic before and after the game. Seeing so many of the student body come together to make Friday night an "event" makes me mad that in the local newspaper's sports section only the football team and cheerleaders get the credit for Friday night football.

Ok, off soap box.

Good luck to all!

Our school does the same thing...it is so neat to see all the football players/cheerleaders swaying to the alma mater. the only time they almost interact.

 

[marcyinPA]

REALLY??? I hope they eventually take their music away. of course it may be harder to march & read music @ the same time.

Might be true....

Our kids have to memorize everything by the end of band camp- no excuses. I figure if our nearly 300 kids can do it, so can everyone else!

We have a parade competition today- about an hour and a half away. Kids load the buses at 3:45- but need to be back at school at 3:30. Mine just brought his stuff and will stay at school until it's time to go. They will be back late tonight. The parade is a 4 mile parade, so good practice for them. I bought my DS the cheap shoes because his feet grow a size a second- so we will see if they will be comfortable enough when they march in Pasadena. I really REALLY don't want to spend $90 on good shoes at his age!

 

[luvmyfam444]

SOOOO what have been your best fundraisers?

We only do a couple - discount cards, chocbars, cheesecakes. Curious what else does well.

 

[luvmyfam444]

Might be true....

Our kids have to memorize everything by the end of band camp- no excuses. I figure if our nearly 300 kids can do it, so can everyone

our kids have to passoff on their music each week or they can't play. they only march holding an air instrument. They use SmartMusic so they play into the computer to pass off.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

SOOOO what have been your best fundraisers?

We only do a couple - discount cards, chocbars, cheesecakes. Curious what else does well.

We did our first Beef & Beer last year which apparently went over well.

We do a Christmas tree sale, and that makes a ton of money (goes directly to the accounts of the kids who help).

We've given up on most door-to-door sale things, I think we are doing one this year.

We have our own snack stand for football games.

Last year, we hosted an elementary band festival. That got us quite a bit of money.

 

[Katy Belle]

SOOOO what have been your best fundraisers?

We only do a couple - discount cards, chocbars, cheesecakes. Curious what else does well.

We have the Football concession stand for ALL home games, Jr High, through varsity. We make $17,000 a year from that. All of that goes to the Band and Orchestra, for the Directors to spend. Our biggest fundraiser that the kids do, and is credited straight to their accounts, is selling Sausage, Bacon, and Chicken Strips from a company called Blue and Gold. Its very popular and easy to sell. Then we sell EVERYTHING else... candles, mugs, candy, etc.

This was not a Band fundraiser, but my youngest son's Middle School just did their 2nd Annual 5k run. They called it "Painted Mustang Run", they throw the colored corn starch on the runners as they go by the check points, one at each K. They charged $35 a person to run, you get a t-shirt, and a packet of color to take home. They do it twice, once during the school day, for just the students of the school...about 500 ran, out of about 650. Then they had it for the public the next day. If your child ran with the school, they could run with their parent for free. I'm not sure how many ran Saturday, but at least 200. Last year they made $21,000, I think it was probably higher this year. No door to door, takes up two days, not TONS of coordination. OUr school is right by a park, so it was fairly easy to map out a safe course. I wish we could come up with a similar one-time-even for our band!

Our first contest is Saturday! We are not marching at the way game Friday night, for the first time ever! I work on the Uniform Crew and we have to take some stuff off of the old shakos today, and attach lights to them! We ONLY have to do 100...hoping it goes better than we are expecting! He wants it done by rehearsal Friday evening... We will do our best!

Go BAnd!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We are also doing Market Day this year. Not sure how well that works, yet. The elementary school PTO used to do it, but they gave it up.

 

[momof1princess]

the peeler discount cards sold okay for us last year (our band runs concessions at ALL home football games, so we get that money, and only have to fundraise if we're doing a big trip that year), but the one that was easiest to get people to buy from was the coca-cola fundraiser. my daughter made over $250.00 from that one alone. the way it works is: you take orders for coca-cola products (including dr. pepper, dasani water and multiple flavors of powerade) and get the money up-front. then, when the orders come in, all you have to do is deliver. the cases sell for anywhere from $20 to $24 per case, and they're 20 oz bottles, so it's a much better deal than buying them at a store. around here, you can only get the 20 oz bottles individually at convenience stores, for about $1.69 per bottle. i would do it again (and will probably have to in a year or two, lol) in a heartbeat.

 

[Pembo]

All music is memorized here as well.

Fundraisers are a steak fry and a night at the races...yes alcohol is the main theme. This year they sold football squares for the Cleveland Browns, at a $100 per square. The band stood to make $3200 however they couldn't sell them all so the profit will be about half that.

 

[luvmyfam444]

the peeler discount cards sold okay for us last year (our band runs concessions at ALL home football games, so we get that money, and only have to fundraise if we're doing a big trip that year), but the one that was easiest to get people to buy from was the coca-cola fundraiser. my daughter made over $250.00 from that one alone. the way it works is: you take orders for coca-cola products (including dr. pepper, dasani water and multiple flavors of powerade) and get the money up-front. then, when the orders come in, all you have to do is deliver. the cases sell for anywhere from $20 to $24 per case, and they're 20 oz bottles, so it's a much better deal than buying them at a store. around here, you can only get the 20 oz bottles individually at convenience stores, for about $1.69 per bottle. i would do it again (and will probably have to in a year or two, lol) in a heartbeat.

how did you set up the coke fundraiser? I like that idea - need to pitch it to our band.

 

[luvmyfam444]

We have the Football concession stand for ALL home games, Jr High, through varsity. We make $17,000 a year from that. All of that goes to the Band and Orchestra, for the Directors to spend. Our biggest fundraiser that the kids do, and is credited straight to their accounts, is selling Sausage, Bacon, and Chicken Strips from a company called Blue and Gold. Its very popular and easy to sell. Then we sell EVERYTHING else... candles, mugs, candy, etc.

This was not a Band fundraiser, but my youngest son's Middle School just did their 2nd Annual 5k run. They called it "Painted Mustang Run", they throw the colored corn starch on the runners as they go by the check points, one at each K. They charged $35 a person to run, you get a t-shirt, and a packet of color to take home. They do it twice, once during the school day, for just the students of the school...about 500 ran, out of about 650. Then they had it for the public the next day. If your child ran with the school, they could run with their parent for free. I'm not sure how many ran Saturday, but at least 200. Last year they made $21,000, I think it was probably higher this year. No door to door, takes up two days, not TONS of coordination. OUr school is right by a park, so it was fairly easy to map out a safe course. I wish we could come up with a similar one-time-even for our band!



Go BAnd!

LOVE the run idea! I know the one out on my color run has TONS run in it around here (like 1,000s) & it seems that everyone around here are runners. That could be a really good on for us. I like doing it for the school (we could do that for each school....hmmmmm ) I know we do a memorial run @ the end of the school during the day & they have a great turnout then.

 

[emilily88]

The school where DBF teaches isn't allowed to do fundraisers for individual programs they have one fine arts budget so their money is all split with the band, drama, vocal music, art, etc. major bummer!

 

[marcyinPA]

Our band tends to go on really big trips every two years, so we have a lot of fundraising opportunities. We personally don't sell everything, but the ones we do the best with are fall mums (we just sold and delivered 35 of them), frozen pizzas made by a local company (I just put in an order for 54 of them ) , poinsettias and wreaths, spring flowers, and boxes of Gertrude Hawk candy bars.

The band also makes and sells hoagies monthly. We sell candles, pierogies, discount cards (they are special to the band, and offer a discount at the stores/restaurants listed on the card), citrus fruit.... Gosh there is probably more but I can't remember!!

 

[camreesmom]

Our band does a few small fundraisers like selling hamburger plates and car washes but their main fundraiser is the concession stands at all home games for both the home side and the visitor side. They only do a really big trip every 4 years.

It has been a really sad week for our band. One of the junior girls in band tried to kill herself at school on Monday and my daughter was the one who called 911. They've had extra counselors at the high school all week and the girl is going to be ok but still.......not something you want your kids to have to deal with at such a young age

Another out of town game this week but luckily this one is only about a 2 hour drive instead of the 3+ that the last two have been! Homecoming next week so it should be a busy week.

 

[Pembo]

Our band does a few small fundraisers like selling hamburger plates and car washes but their main fundraiser is the concession stands at all home games for both the home side and the visitor side. They only do a really big trip every 4 years.

It has been a really sad week for our band. One of the junior girls in band tried to kill herself at school on Monday and my daughter was the one who called 911. They've had extra counselors at the high school all week and the girl is going to be ok but still.......not something you want your kids to have to deal with at such a young age

Another out of town game this week but luckily this one is only about a 2 hour drive instead of the 3+ that the last two have been! Homecoming next week so it should be a busy week.

How awful for you dd! Hugs to you all.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

What a terrible thing to have to deal with. Prayers for that girl that she gets some help. And hugs for your daughter and her classmates.

 

[mrsklamc]

Hugs to your daughter, camreesmom.

My favorite fundraiser in HS band was the raffle- I just paid my own way by buying raffle tickets mostly cause I hated fundraising.

The HS band I live near now has a MASSIVE rummage sale every summer- the school gym is full to overflowing. They put the word out on craigslist that they will come pick up garage sale leftovers, and the kids and their families all donate stuff from their households-- so it's pure profit. Goodwill brings a semi and hauls away what doesn't sell.

 

[Katy Belle]

Our band does a few small fundraisers like selling hamburger plates and car washes but their main fundraiser is the concession stands at all home games for both the home side and the visitor side. They only do a really big trip every 4 years.

It has been a really sad week for our band. One of the junior girls in band tried to kill herself at school on Monday and my daughter was the one who called 911. They've had extra counselors at the high school all week and the girl is going to be ok but still.......not something you want your kids to have to deal with at such a young age

Another out of town game this week but luckily this one is only about a 2 hour drive instead of the 3+ that the last two have been! Homecoming next week so it should be a busy week.

How horrible. Hugs to your DD and the poor girl who feels so desperate!