Booster Minutes

Athens Drive Band Boosters Booster Meeting Thursday, April 16, 2015

Start Time: 7:30PM
Attendance: 41

President (Mary Knierim): Welcome.

Secretary’s Report (Kim Lowe): Distributed minutes from March 3rd Booster Meeting. Motion to approve by Tabitha Groelle. Seconded by Jenae Emmanuel.

Treasurer’s Report (Jean Burroughs):

Spring BBQ put us over our fundraising goal for the year. Thanks to everyone who came out to help.
All student band accounts should have been paid in full by April 1st. If you still have a balance on your account, please see Jean Burroughs or Joe Baker.
To date, we have brought in $369,000 and spent $323,000. Remaining $46,000 to be expended over the next couple of months.
Budget for this year ending strong and in good shape.

Marching Band Registration (Mary Knierim):

Registration now open for 2015-16 – Must register by June 6th
Fee increase this year. Fees haven’t been raised in 8 years. There is now a non-refundable $100 Registration Fee in addition to fair share financial obligation of $975 ($775 for guard).
Fair share service obligation was reduced to 5 paid fundraiser shifts at $35 each (or $175 for those wishing to pay instead of working paid fundraiser shifts).
In order for the band to meet summer financial commitments, the following payment plan is in effect:
- $100 non-refundable Registration Fee due June 6th (with registration form)
- $500 due prior to Band Camp (by July 31st)
- $125 ($75 for guard) due September 1st, October 1st and November 1st
- $100 ($50 for guard) due December 1st

Durham Bulls (Neal Smith): Centerplate is no longer managing concessions at the Bulls Stadium. Bulls now managing in house as “Bull City Hospitality”. Seems to be a good change. Still staffing stands with volunteer groups. Bull City staff more flexible and better organized. Expecting us to be flexible as well. Band begins working shifts in May. Have requested 6-person stand. Of these 6 slots, 2 can be students ages 16 and up. 14 and 15 year olds no can no longer work due to child labor laws. Will have 4 additional adult shifts for “floaters”. Floaters will be placed in other stands by Bull City. Our volunteers will be expected to do some cooking this year. Everyone planning to work Bulls this year is required to undergo training. Training materials are already available online on the Durham Bulls Fundraiser page of the band website. Bull City is keeping track of folks who complete the training. Those wishing to sign up as stand leaders are required to attend a short training session at the Bulls Stadium. Contact Neal for stand leader training dates and signup information. Stand leader bonus is being offered this year. For every 5 games you work as a stand leader, your account will be credited an additional $20. Martha Smith has agreed to stay on as Durham Bulls Fundraiser co-chair for upcoming year.

PNC (Tabitha Groelle): Fundraiser is winding down. Last season event is Saturday. This school year, to date, we have worked 72 events and put $6165 into 30 band accounts. We will make signing bonus this year. Some slots will be available for May 28 & 29.

NCSU Lemonade Stand (Tabitha Groelle):Saturday’s spring game went ok. Did not have enough folks signed up so had to use one of the stadium’s workers. New pretzel setup.

Car Wash (Jennifer Wakeford): Kicking off tonight. Fundraiser changed from work-based fundraiser with all funds going to general fund to a sale based fundraiser that earns funds for both student accounts and general fund. Carolina Auto Spa has partnered with us to sell $24 Gift Cards. Band receives $12 for each gift card sold. Of that $12, $8 is credited to student’s account and $4 is placed in general fund. Jennifer will have cards available at booster meetings, band camp check-in, concerts, etc… Carolina Auto Spa has two locations: one in Cary near Maynard/High House and one in Apex on Hwy 55 near Little Caesars and Duncan Donuts. Booster families must pre-pay for all gift cards sold/received. Cards also available by emailing carwash@athensdriveband.com.

Scrip & Grocery Cards (Jean Burroughs): Has April scrip cards for folks who ordered. Also have Grocery Cards available for purchase. Scrip cards are a great way to put money in your band account. Purchase a Cruise using scrip and 9% goes back into your band account.

Communications (Kim Lowe):

Website: Band’s mobile app is now available for both Apple and Android devices. Can download from App Store (Apple) and Google Play (Android). App name is “ADHS Band”.
Yahoo Group: Committee has been investigating alternative email programs throughout the year. Has decided to stay with Yahoo! Groups and work individually with folks still experiencing delivery problems. If you’re not receiving Yahoo! e-mails from the band, please contact yahoohelp@athensdriveband.com.

Cary Music & Arts Festival (Aleece Spalding):

Coming up April 26th running 4pm to 9pm. Athens well represented (Chorus, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra). Bring picnics, invite friends, free admission, bring chair, table seating available for $10 per person… Need volunteers for entry, selling raffle tickets and distributing programs. Email will be sent with link to signup location. NC Symphony sponsoring and each student performer will be given free tickets to the NC Symphony and Summerfest. Also being sponsored by Town of Cary and a Classical Radio Station. Participating schools (Athens, Green Hope, Cary and Panther Creek) being asked to sell program ads. Athens has sold 2 so far. Laurin Allen is doing the program this year. Ads are being sold at $125 for ¼ page, $250 for ½ page and $500 for full page. Donors at $500 level or above recognized on event’s Facebook page. All ad donors are allowed to set up a table at the event. Event will be bigger than last year. Combo groups will play during intermission. ADHS band parents Greg Fishel and Cullen Browder are MCs. WRAL will publicize the event electronically. Please ‘Like’ Cary Music and Arts Festival page on Facebook. Concessions will be open. Admission free but donations accepted. Festival working on establishing itself as a 501c3 Charitable Organization.
Cary Music and Arts Festival partnering with Girl Scouts of America to support Military Missions in Action. Lauren Holtshouser is our student contact. Asking everyone to bring donations of beef jerky, baby wipes and a package of white socks. Athens will have a box in the band room for donations. Would like every one to participate.
Cary Music and Arts Festival is our way of reaching out to the community and helping our community through the arts.
Need someone to drive the band truck and some truck owners to pull our trailers. Also need chaperones backstage.
Dr. Markoch will provide service credits (for NHS, etc) for students who volunteer.

Volunteer Mobilization Seminar (Kim Lowe & Aleece Spalding): Organizing a volunteer mobilization seminar to be presented to all band booster chairs, co-chairs, board members and others who may be considering a committee chair position within the band. Guest speaker is Dr. Kathy Sturgis. Program scheduled for Tuesday, May 5th, 7:30-9:00PM in the band room. Everyone welcome. Would like for all current and upcoming board members (ADAF too) and committee chairs to participate.

Winter Guard (Michael Bynum): Final competition was AIA Circuit Championships on May 28. Athens well represented. Came in 4th in class. Mary Bynum was awarded the 2015 AIA Scholarship. Scholarship based on academic excellence, community service, and participation in an AIA winter program. Had a huge crowd at April 6th exhibition held at Athens.

Winter Percussion (Amanda Gahan): Performed best show this year at WGI Finals in Dayton, Ohio. Didn’t make it past prelims but extra time was well spent talking with other groups. Served as beta tester for Remind program (essentially a private one-way group messaging system) being proposed by our band’s Communications team. Worked GREAT! Loved it. Worked great for last minute instructions and notifications. Clinics and auditions for upcoming marching band season starting in a couple of weeks.

President (Wendy Bennett):

Need new faces to fill positions being left open due to folks graduating out
Laura Quackenbush and Melanie Vtipil need someone to assist with MB Meals & Snacks
Kim Lowe needs someone to take over Sponsorships
Presented slate of nominees for 2015-16 Band Booster Board. To be voted on at next booster meeting.
- Co-Presidents: Wendy Bennett & Susan Harrell
- VP Communications: Deb Alvord
- VP Ways & Means: Sherry Skinner
- VP Operations: Cory Benson
- Co-Treasurers: Joe Baker & Richard Spalding
- Secretary: Jami Summers
- Members at Large: Frank Castlebury, Melanie Vtipil and John Wakeford

Director’s Comments (Dr. Markoch):

Recruiting – headed to Dillard Drive and Reedy Creek Middle Schools on May 12th. Would like copies of last year’s promotional video to hand out.
Will be sending recruiting and orientation information out to all middle school band directors who have students feeding into Athens.
Went to WGI in Dayton with our Winter Percussion group. Percussion did a fantastic job. Was delighted to be there.
Our Winter Guard had a very touching show, “My Father’s Hat”.
All of our groups are very, very good. Performances are sensitive, beautiful and extremely challenging technically.
Jazz Band headed over to Searstone Senior Community tomorrow afternoon to perform for their “Senior Prom”. Next week, headed to perform at Cary XYZ Club and later this month at Cary Music & Arts Festival.
Most of the marching band’s show for next year is already written. Same guy is writing our drill and choreography. Section Leader and Drum Major auditions are coming up.
Traditionally, recruiting is hard for Athens. We do, however, have some students from other areas head our way via our clinicians.
Wind Ensemble went to State Festival. Scored straight 1’s on the hardest grade music.
School musical, “Legally Blonde”, coming up next week.
Some history regarding the Cary Music & Arts Festival at Koka Booth event: 10 years ago we felt an outdoor venue/performance would be nice during the spring and settled on a Mother’s Day outdoor event. Over the years, we held the Mother’s Day event in the Senior Parking Lot at the school and at the beautiful Montague Park. About 2 years ago, the Mother’s Day event has transformed into the music festival at Koka Booth. Really like the fact that this festival is a collaborative effort among multiple Western Wake High School Arts Programs where all groups come together in a non-competitive atmosphere to share their love of music with the community.
Wanted to shoot a cannon during our 1812 Overture piece at the Cary Music & Arts Festival but Town of Cary nixed the idea.
Had 3 students make NC All-State Honor Band: Matt Baker, Caitlin Cassidy and Josh Scarborough.
Applying for Rose Bowl again. We’re doing all the right things. Apparently, Rose Bowl likes to see groups reapplying.
Offering guitar lessons this summer.
Construction on new stadium set to start soon. Ground breaking coming up. Alma Mater has been rewritten and new pep tunes are being lined up.
Band is totally self-supported. Thankful for the great job our students and parents do to make it happen.
Band is going to Disney next year.
Have new percussion equipment in the back.
Please get involved. Takes a lot of help to keep our programs running.
Kids are great. Parents are great. Here because of you.