Start Time: 7:45PM
Attendance: 42
President (Mary Knierim): Welcome.
Secretary’s Report (Kim Lowe):Distributed minutes. Motion to approve by Tabitha Groelle. Seconded by JoMarie Holtshouser.
Treasurer’s Report (Jean Burroughs):Cookbook sales have gone better than expected. Spring BBQ coming up. Grocery Cards has put approximately $4000 into band accounts this year. Scrip has put around $5000 into band accounts. Incoming donation budget is $3000. To date, we have only received $1000 in donations. Expect $1500 more this weekend. New uniform bags are on our wish list. Cost approximately $3000. Looking for donations or sponsor to cover cost. All fair share costs due March 1 except for Winter Programs, which are due March 15. Band statements go out next week. Request committee chairs turn in all reimbursement requests asap. Don’t want surprises in May.
Communications (Kim Lowe):
- Mobile App (Kim Lowe): Provided demo of “Athens Drive Band” mobile app. App has been submitted to Apple Store for review. Once Apple version is approved and available for download, the android version will be submitted. Once approved, app can be downloaded for free. Hoping for March availability.
- Remind (Kim Lowe): Field testing a private group text system to use on band trips and when informing parents/students of arrival and departure times. Hope to beta test with Winter Guard and Winter Percussion and implement for Marching Band and possibly other band groups in 2015-16.
- End of Year Video (Darrell Suggs): Requested senior parents send in up to 5 photos of their senior for inclusion in the end of year video. Please include at least one photo each from early years, middle years and current. Will get email out.
Ways and Means
- Let’s Eat! (Kim Lowe): First Let’s Eat! for 2014-15 scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 5-8pm at Dickey’s Barbeque Pit in Crossroads. No flyer required. Need a handful of volunteers. Band gets percentage of all Dickey’s sales receipts deposited in to ADHS Band donation box. Dickey’s is a 2 year sponsor of our band program. We are considering a second Let’s Eat! at Noodles & Company in Crossroads during April. Need someone to take over as Let’s Eat! chairperson. With 2 events coming up, it is a great time to train.
- BJs (Christina van Dorsten):Fundraiser runs February 6-20. Get 15 months for price of 12 and $10-$20 off annual membership cost plus band gets $5 for each membership. Form available on band website. Completed forms and check and can be placed in box located in Doc’s office. New memberships will receive temporary card in mail and asked to come in to BJs to get photo and actual membership card. Renewing members will have 15 months added to the end of their current membership.
- BBQ (Laura Ashford): Spring Band BBQ is scheduled for Friday, March 13. Need advertisers, scoopers, servers and delivery folks. Per ADHS main office, CANNOT deliver any plates at all to students at school. Needs someone with Sam’s Club card to purchase Aunt Bertie’s Sweet Tea Concentrate. Tabitha Groelle volunteered. Need everyone to supply baked goods for desserts. Same price as last year.
- PNC (Tabitha Groelle): Have worked 47 events this school year and have 30 left. Need to work all 30 remaining events in order to meet contract requirements. Thus far, 30 families have worked PNC with a total of $4000 going into those band accounts. Due to folks not signing up this year, we have not picked up any additional carts. This year our totals are currently $5000 versus $7000 for last year at the same time. Need several volunteers for mid to end of February. March is wide open with opportunities slowing down starting in April. Need co-chair for next year. Working PNC is easy work and requires less time than other band concession fundraisers. Leaders arrive 45 minutes before doors open. Workers 30 minutes before.
- Scrip (Melissa Merchant): In 2014, we put $6900 into band accounts for 51 families. Average 7.5% return from scrip purchases.
- Grocery Cards (Jean Burroughs): Purchase and 5%-6% goes into your band account. Jean has cards on her at all times. Food Lion puts 5% back into your band account. Lowe’s Foods puts 6%. Can also use to buy gift cards at these stores using cards purchased from our Grocery Card fundraiser.
- Cary Music & Arts Festival (Aleece Spalding): Date is Sunday, April 26th. Time approximately 3-9pm. Town of Cary is sponsoring this year’s event and will provide advertising and help with sponsorships through the Cary Chamber of Commerce. NC Symphony is a sponsor and will be providing NC Symphony vouchers to every student performer and providing event vouchers as raffle prizes. Four to six area high schools are participating. Music ensembles from these schools come together in a non-competitive way for a community performance at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Event brings musicians together at a high school level and showcases our student musicians. This event is in its 3rd year. Promotes arts in our community. Free admission. Donations accepted. Bring picnics. Tables available for $10. Concessions for sale with portion of sales divided equally among participating ensembles. Adding visual arts this year. Current list of participants include Athens Drive HS (Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band and Orchestra), Green Hope HS, Panther Creek HS, and Cary HS. Hoping to have Middle Creek HS and Apex HS participate. Invite friends and neighbors. Everyone is invited. Beer and wine permitted since event is not sponsored by WCPSS. Athens Drive Band is helping drive this event and enthusiastically supports the idea that music is to be shared and enjoyed (not always a competition). Selling program ad space to businesses: ¼ page at $125; ½ page at $250; full page at $500; announcement during event at $1000. Master of Ceremonies includes Athens Drive Band parents Greg Fishel and Cullen Browder.
- Winter Guard (Michael Bynum):Competition this Saturday (2/7) at Cleveland HS in Clayton. ADHS performance time is 5:48pm. Competing at Wakefield competition on February 14th.
- Winter Percussion (Melissa Merchant):Will be competing at Panther Creek or Clayton on February 28th. Have two out of state competitions in March with two local competitions: February 28th (Panther Creek HS) and March 28th (Wakefield HS). Winter Percussion and Winter Guard will give exhibition performance at ADHS on Monday or Tuesday the week of April 6th. Competing in WGI World Championships April 9-11 in Dayton, OH. We have 33 students participating. Show name is “Elevate”.
- Booster Board Nominations (Mary Knierim and Wendy Bennett): Now taking nominations for 2015-16 Band Booster Board. Need several committee chairs for 2015-16 as well. Committees with immediate chair/co-chair needs include: Let’s Eat! Fundraiser, Website (co-chair with Glenna Falk), Sponsor Program, Durham Bulls Fundraiser (co-chair with Neal Smith – need by March – see Frank Castlebury), PNC Fundraiser (co-chair with Tabitha Groelle), Practice Field Maintenance and Spirit Wear (co-chair with Deb Gebbia – co-chair to order, keep and store inventory).
- Uniforms (Joyce Bubar): Need new garment bags. Looking for sponsor(s) to cover cost. Cost approximately $3000. For Saturday’s marching band performance at Triangle Wine Gala, PLEASE send in marching shoes and black socks for your student.
- Director’s Comments (Dr. Markoch):Going to Disney next year. Applying for Rose Bowl. Need newbies to fill in positions being left vacant by graduating or retiring families. Had 12 students make All-District, a lot were sophomores and juniors. We are fortunate to have a happy, motivated and diverse group of parents with great kids. For 2015-16, Athens will be overflow for Enloe and Broughton. Performances and our own version of March Madness is coming up: concerts and state festival. Winter programs are going strong. Have 33 students signed up for Jazz Ensemble, 33 for Winter Percussion and 17 for Winter Guard. Marching Pep Band headed to perform for Triangle Wine Gala on Saturday (2/7). Gala typically donates $1500 to our band program for this performance. Have been performing for this event for several years. Thanks to alumni parent, Angie Wright, for continuing to provide us with this opportunity. We are actively recruiting for 2015-16. Spring Open House is next Thursday (2/12). Doc will be with students at UNCG Honor Band Clinic. Booster Presidents will provide coverage. Love Nike’s new slogan “There’s Always Better”.
Next meeting, Tuesday, March 3, 2015.
Meeting Adjourned: 9:00PM