Start Time: 7:45PM

Attendance: 45

President (Mary Knierim): Welcome. Thanks for competition support. Winter Programs starting up.

Secretary (Kim Lowe): Distributed minutes.  Delayed approval to give everyone time to look over. Approval obtained post meeting via email with approval by David Scarborough and second by Wendy Bennett.

Treasurer Report (Jean Burroughs): Provided financial snapshot for current fiscal year. Income is at $230,080.70 with expenses at $176,301.74. Large expense for Philadelphia trip is coming up this month. Since July, fundraisers have earned $73,290.45 with $40,9070.50 going to student accounts and $32,319.95 to general fund. Our budgeted amount for 2014-15 fundraisers is $90,380.67.  Fundraisers exceeding budget include Big Al’s, Durham Bulls, Coupon Books, Fall BBQ and State Fair Parking. Fundraisers not yet reporting include Cookbook Sales, Fruit & Nut Sale, Mattress Sale, Car Wash, Spring BBQ, Let’s Eat, PNC, and NCSU Lemonade. Donations are down. State Fair Parking is by far the largest contributor to the general fund. Durham Bulls is largest contributor to student accounts.

Communications (Kim Lowe): Website Committee is developing a mobile app for the band. Hope to have in production by mid January. App is available on all platforms and ready for alpha testing. Interested alpha testers, please email website committee.

Ways and Means

• Fruit & Nut Sale: Packets went home October 30. Orders are due November 17 at 2:30pm. Delivery/Pickup is at band hallway December 12 from 2:30-6pm. Order forms and information on website. Order deadline most likely extended until banquet on November 22.
• Recipe Book: 300 books arriving in November and will be all that is available for Christmas delivery.  May have sample and/or books at banquet. Cost is $18. Order form to be placed on website. First come, first served for first 300.  Another order expected in January.
• State Fair Parking (Aleece Spalding):Beautiful weather. Gregory Poole is unique in allowing us to use their area for parking fundraiser. State Fair Parking is a crucial fundraiser for our band and earns far more for band’s general fund than any other fundraiser. Provides approximately 37% of our overall general fund budget.
• Big Al’s BBQ:  Made approximately $5000 with $4500 going to student accounts and $500 to general fund.
• PNC (Tabitha Groelle):  Athens Drive Band received 1 of 2 “Longest Volunteer Group” certificates at the PNC Volunteer banquet in October. Band has been volunteering at PNC since 1999. All PNC slots, through June 2015, are posted online and ready for signups. With marching season open, hopes to get more volunteers. There are lots of events between now and June. Standby slots are important for picking up extra carts so please sign up for those as well. Need to work extra events to fulfill our contract obligations. If contract isn’t met, we lose bonus resulting in an overall loss for the fundraiser. Please consider signing up. Pays less than Bulls or Lemonade Stands but also fewer hours and easier work. Making personal phone calls to get coverage for Philadelphia dates. Realizes dress code is an issue but that is a PNC rule and nothing we can change.  With only 3-4 slots per event, should be able to fill all events but having trouble doing so. Open to suggestions on how to get folks to signup.
• VIC Cards (Jean Burroughs): Passed around signup sheet for those who are not already signed up.
• Scrip: Earn extra percentages Thanksgiving Day.

Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade (Richard Spalding):

• Less than two weeks away. Great itinerary planned: includes tour of Eastern State Penitentiary, Sightseeing Cruise & Buffet on the Delaware River, Independence Hall tour, marching in oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in America, Thanksgiving dinner in Dutch country, holiday lights tour, Hersey’s Chocolate World and Gettysburg National Military Park. All transportation, lodging, attractions and meals included with exception of Friday dinner on the drive home.
• Uniform inspection and packing on Saturday after Raleigh parade. Uniforms must be left at school ready to go to after the parade on Saturday. Make sure student has complete uniform, shoes, socks, gloves. If new gloves needed, charge will be made to band account. Uniforms go on truck Monday after rehearsal.
• Check in at band room Tuesday at 11pm. Busses leave at midnight. Back at 10pm Friday.
• Pack only one suitcase or duffel bag; bring appropriate clothes, coat, hat, gloves, toiletries, comfortable shoes, raincoat or umbrella.  Bring a small carry-on with a change of clothes to take on the bus for arrival in Philadelphia. Pack instrument and instrument supplies. Bring pillow and blanket and small amount of spending money for souvenirs and Friday dinner. Please tag all luggage and instrument cases with student’s name and contact information. Band supplies rain gear for parade. Average temperature is 43 degrees but extremely unpredictable. Dress in multiple layers, thin layers under uniform, spandex, long underwear, wool socks, etc.
• Arrangements are available for Early Drop Off and Early Departure. Early Drop Off starts at 6pm Tuesday in the bandroom. Bring $5 for pizza and movies. Sign up online. Early Departure is from Marriott hotel after arriving back from parade. After parade students will be provided light meal, board busses in uniform, back to hotel to change and retrieve luggage. Early departures should collect student’s luggage and check out with their chaperone before leaving.
• Wendy Bennett will be distributing add-on tickets and/or wristbands at the banquet to families who purchased. Families purchasing cruise tickets should pick those up in Philadelphia by last name at the ticket window located near the dock. Field House Restaurant is closing down for us. If you did not purchase add-on for Field House, additional seating may not be available.
• Those not going to Philadelphia can view parade locally on ABC11 from 9am to noon. 6ABC.com will provide live stream. Athens is 8^th band out of 21 and should cross cameras around 10am.
• Those going to Philadelphia, check out parade’s website (http://bit.ly/1qEHhVZ) for map and recommended viewing locations. Parade also has facebook page. Joyce and Brian Bubar to record 6ABC.com and TV.
• Band’s FAQ document containing latest itinerary, travel tips and more is available at http://bit.ly/1v59Wuj
• If interested in 10:15am Hersey’s Chocolate Factory tickets, contact Jennifer Wakeford right away.
• Follow athensbandtrip on Twitter or text “Follow @athensbandtrip” to 40404. Will be communicating schedule changes, important reminders and arrival information.
• Have rented large truck to transport equipment, props, uniforms, etc.  Students will help load the truck Monday. Truck will be 1 or 2 hours behind the busses on Friday. Could use some help unloading if you can come back or hang around a bit later on Friday night.
• Meeting at 1pm Sunday (11/16) to work on parade props.
• We have been asked to appear on Good Morning America before the parade. Band student interviews. Segments aired at 7am and 7:18am. Entire band, in uniform and ready to go, needs to be onsite at 6am to practice with crew of Good Morning America.

Guard (Rebecca Davis): Thanks for all the help. Looking forward to Winter Guard. Dates will be posted soon. Thanks for helping us get to Philadelphia and for new parade uniforms.

Percussion (Jim Merchant): Winter Percussion orientation last night. Auditions next week.

Fundraising Survey (Wendy Bennett): Thank you! 107 responses. Provided useful information.

Results:

• 86% of respondents have worked at least one of our big 4 fundraisers.
• State Fair Parking is most popular fundraiser (50 of 59 workers or 49% ranked #1) with only 3 (5%) ranking as least favorite; Durham Bulls came in second with 15 of 79 workers (19%) ranking as #1 and 27% of workers ranking as least favorite; PNC came in close third with 7 of 41 workers (17%) ranking as #1 with a corresponding 17% ranking as least favorite; Lemonade Stands came in fourth with 4 of 56 workers (7%) ranking as #1 and 36% ranking as least favorite.
• Most families (77%) work fundraisers to fulfill their 6 fundraiser shift credits to partially pay their band account (70%). 40% work to spend time with other band families, 26% have fun, and 19% pay their band account in full working fundraiser venues.
• Most families do not take advantage of fundraiser opportunities because of family obligations (72%), work obligations (68%), pay for time commitment to low (52%), other volunteer obligations (34%). 15% prefer to pay and 6% are uncomfortable working concessions.
• Those who have worked in the past but no longer do so is due to changes in work situation (50%), changes in family situation (47%), they don’t enjoy it (31%) and changes in financial situation (11%).
• 31% of respondents depend on fundraisers to ensure child’s participation in our band programs. 69% do not.
• 95% know children 14+ can work some venues.
• 71% of respondents indicated their children work fundraising venues.
• 78% feel it is important students be able to work venues.
• For our General Fund only fundraisers, 88% participate in Band BBQ, 57% in Let’s Eat! events, 47% in Mattress Sale and 33% in Car Wash.
• Concession type fundraisers are most preferred (50%) with Service fundraisers (parking, car wash) running a close second (45%). 25% of respondents prefer sale-based fundraisers. 25% prefer other types of fundraisers.
• Social activity fundraisers are almost evenly split with 55% voting against and 45% voting for.
• Good education with Scrip program. 94% of respondents familiar with program.
• Good education with Sponsor Program with 86% of respondents familiar with program. Of those 53% are willing to solicit sponsorships.
• 76% of respondents felt we had an adequate number of fundraisers, 20% felt we had too many and 4% felt there were not enough ways to earn money for their band account.
• 30% of respondents would be willing to pay more in band fees and not be asked to work fundraisers. 70% would not.
• 5 respondents had ideas for new fundraisers.
• Need to do more education regarding “fundraiser shift credits”. 19% indicated they did not understand fundraiser shift credits and 18% indicated they did not know first 6 fundraising shifts earned additional for their band accounts.

Mattress Sale (Aleece Spalding):

• Need more workers! Please sign up. Will be a fun day. Shifts are 3 hours each. Statistically 85-95% of those in the market for a mattress will purchase. Send out on neighborhood list servers. Forms up front. Clint is here with $5 for those in attendance at last meeting. To beat last year (49 sold), invite one person. $10 right now if you can phone someone during this meeting and get him or her to agree to come Saturday.
• Doc volunteered to drive mini-bus. Need a couple of kids in mattress suits to work carpool line in the morning or tomorrow afternoon. Yellow yard signs in hallway. Please take some and put up. Need help putting signs up around school.  Students will be playing instruments and promoting at street corners. Chaperone needed with each group.

Upcoming Events:

Upcoming events include Winter Percussion, Winter Guard, Marching Band Banquet (11/22), Parades (Raleigh, Philadelphia, Cary and Apex), and Parent Christmas Party (12/13 at Merchant’s home). Gobble Golf is being rescheduled for after Thanksgiving.

Director’s Comments (Dr. Markoch):

• Thank you for being here. Extra convention programs available up front. Please take one.
• Moving now to parade season with golden treasures of Carnegie, NCMEA, Concerts and Marching Band competition shows behind us. This year our colorguard will be mixed in with the winds for parades. Raleigh parade on the 22^nd is a test drive of our Philadelphia parade performance.
• Community and volunteer activities include playing at grand opening at Lowe’s Foods. Wonderful gig. They presented us with a $150 Lowe’s Foods gift card that we used to provide the Wind Ensemble with bagels prior to their trip to Winston-Salem for their NCMEA performance. We’ve provided pep-bands for special events at Combs Elementary, Yates Mill Elementary and Oak Grove Elementary. Performed at NCMEA in Winston-Salem for the 3^rd time in 9 years.

Coming up:

• Mattress Sale on 15^th.
• Raleigh parade and Banquet on 22^nd. Will be taking formal picture of marching band down at the stadium before the Raleigh parade. Went on SmugMug for the first time. WOW! All marching band students receive recognition and certificates at banquet.
• Philadelphia 22^nd-25^th. Grateful for Richard, like having our own travel agent.
• Apex, Cary parades after Thanksgiving.
• Wind Ensemble will be “band caroling” at 3 area senior centers on December 14^th. Laura Ashford to coordinate sites. Forty-five minute performance at each site.
• We have new activity buses. NICE!
• Grand Holiday Concert December 18^th.
• All-District coming up. Students are getting ready for auditions.
• Winter Percussion and Winter Guard starting up. Jazz Band starting in January.
• Thanks to Jim Merchant for new shelving in back closet.
• Receives constant accolades on our booster parents and students.  Has the best job in the world.
• Next year is Disney during spring break (2016).
• Applying for 2017 Rose Bowl.
• Support, spirit and love most important.

President’s Closing Remarks (Mary Knierim):  School play, “A Flea in Her Ear”, is Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 20-22. Several band students participating.

No meeting in December. Next meeting, January 8, 2015.

Meeting Adjourned: 9:45pm