Meeting began at 7:40 pm
Attendance: 29
President
Welcome. Thank you to all for making this past year successful. Minutes from April 10th meeting reviewed. Motion to accept by Tabitha Groelle. Seconded by Jami Summers.
Treasurer
Graduating seniors without siblings should consider donating account credits to another student or the scholarship fund. Boosters are unable to refund account balances for tax reasons.
Winter Guard
Exhibition on April 7 went well. Now gearing up for recruiting new members. Sending information to all area middle schools and recruiting at Dillard and Lufkin. Thanks for all the support!
Winter Percussion
Season finished 3 weeks ago with fun trip to Dayton, OH for the WGI Worlds. Awesome and memorable season! Thanks for all the support, props, and stuff that made the show happen. Loaned props, pop ups, and trampolines will be available in the hall or trailer for pick up (look for your name). With 38 students this year, 18 were seniors so looking for percussion students. Going to Dillard to recruit. Thanks Jim Merchant for all the moving and miracle work! Jim will be tearing down props during upcoming clinics and auditions – help appreciated. Three large trampolines are for sale. May 31st – Jim is coordinating band barn and tractor trailer clean up.
Ways and Means
- Durham Bulls 3 weeks into season and lots of changes, including acquiring smaller stand, staffing and pay – working through it all. After process settles, will update to-do list and online manual. Having issues getting enough workers. Have not received first check yet. President is working on a survey to understand why people aren’t signing up and what incentives can be offered.
- PNC We fulfilled our contractual obligation and are eligible for bonus money. Although a few events got cancelled, we picked up enough extra events to cover. A few events remain. For next year, we plan to have Canes and NCSU games with Dots and Dips stands. Management wants to split Dots and Dips. Other events will be add-ons available on a first come, first serve basis (this year, other events were available on a first right of refusal basis).
- Scrip Summer orders will be placed in June, July and right after band camp.
- Scruffy Duck Carwash Raised $530. Easy fundraiser – simply sell tickets, show up, and make $. Great wash for $10. Sold coupons will expire May 16. Manager was very pleasant and impressed with our group of parents and students.
- Village Draft House Raised $525 on April 14 by getting 10% of ALL sales all day. To date, Village Draft House has donated $1091 to our band program.
- Western Wake Music Fest Great success! Koka Booth and other presidents easy to work with. We brought equipment for all – thanks percussion and Jim Merchant for being great work horses! Cost $1000 but were able to cover expenses (renting Koka Booth, 4 staff, cleaning, etc.) Three sponsors helped (WRAL, NC Symphony, Thai Place). Spent money on programs, Facebook posts, boxes. Each participating group received $50. Panther Creek plans to send more ensembles next year and the ADHS Chorus plans to attend. Cary Band regularly works Koka Booth concessions and donated all tips.
President
New Board Introduced
- Co- Presidents: Mary Knierim and Wendy Bennett
- VP Operations: Jim Merchant
- VP Ways and Means: Frank Castlebury
- Secretary: Kim Lowe
- Co-Treasurers: Jean Burroughs and Joe Baker
- Members at Large: JoMarie Holtshouser, Jami Summers, Melanie Vtipil, John Wakeford
Open Committee Positions
Several committees need Chairs/Co-Chairs: BBQ, Coupon Books, Let’s Eat, NCSU Lemonade Stand, Staples Rewards, Band Bay, Photo Directory, PTSA Rep, Twitter, Grants, First Aid, Concert Support and Hospitality. Although we are not without this year, Kim Lowe has many critical roles and needs several people to help this year (2014/15) in order to be able to assume the lead committee role the following year. Kim’s responsibilities include (but are not limited to) maintaining the web site, yahoo groups and sponsorships.
Open Committee Positions
Several committees need Chairs/Co-Chairs: BBQ, Coupon Books, Let’s Eat, NCSU Lemonade Stand, Staples Rewards, Band Bay, Photo Directory, PTSA Rep, Twitter, Grants, First Aid, Concert Support and Hospitality. Although we are not without this year, Kim Lowe has many critical roles and needs several people to help this year (2014/15) in order to be able to assume the lead committee role the following year. Kim’s responsibilities include (but are not limited to) maintaining the web site, yahoo groups and sponsorships.
Rose Bowl Application
Due May 31st. Pass along any highlights about the school/band/community that should be included.
Scrip
Orders will be placed in June and then right after band camp. Will send out notice 1 week before order is submitted.
Year in Review
Always getting better and setting a new bar
Highlights:
- Band Camp: New facilities and improved initiation ceremony.
- 9-9: Thanks to student leadership, salvaged from the rain and turned into a major bonding time for the band!
- First in Class at our first competition!
- 2 Grand Champions in One Day!
- Winter Guard grows to 23! A 44% increase!
NEW FUNDRAISERS! Earned over $14K for the band!
- Mattress Sale! Earned over $6k! Quality product / Great prices / different customer base each year
- Raffle! Earned almost $1k; fun way to raise money and give away prizes!
- BJs membership
- First Ever Car Wash at Scruffy Duck! Almost $500 plus sparkling opportunity to grow!
- Village Draft House quarterly Let’s Eat! Fun way to earn over $500 each quarter!
- Composite Pictures: Earned $500. Lower prices / Excellent product / includes casual pictures! Online viewing and ordering
- New way to donate: Donor’s Choose! (African Drums!)
- Alumni Drive! $4,200! First concerted effort ever to reach out to alumni. Database of over 200 alumni families and growing. Sent beautiful brochure. Alumni involvement writing letters to their class. Sustainable for future needs
- Grants! New team researching grants. Semi Finalist for the Grammy Signature Schools grant
CURRENT FUNDRAISERS!
- Sponsorships! New Structure / Marketing / Promotion; 580% growth from 5 to 29 sponsors with 340% increase in revenue $9350 vs. $2750
- Let’s Eat! 108 % Increase! Largest earnings ever at $1291.36
- Bulls: 144% increase revenue to General fund: $5,729
- PNC: elects to do carts only, which brings us $5,000 more than previous year!
- State Fair: exceeds last year’s revenue record by $1,643! $24,386
- NC Lemonade Stand: adds carts…exceed general fund contributions by 187% $2,417
- Kroger Card: participation increases revenue: Avg. $400 per month! 30 families!
- Total Grocery Cards: Over $6,000 this year so far vs. $1,316 last year 356% increase!
- Scrip Card participation increases! 57% more $ ($6,000); 63% more accounts (49 vs. last year’s 30); 23% increase in Avg rebate (8% vs. last year’s 6.5%)
AMAZING SUPPORT!
- New ADAF board!
- Social Media savvy increases! More presence on Facebook, Twitter
- Parent Photo Directory (long requested) is born!
- Data collected on volunteer hours for the boosters! Over 23,000 hours per year! Wow!
- First ever Band Caroling at Retirement Homes
- Sponsors 2 homeless families in need through PLM Families Together (PLMft)
- Band performs at State Fair
- Percussion performs at Make A Wish 5k
- Doc’s surprise party at Ritter Park honors our fearless leader
- Front of band room is transformed with Eagle Service Project
- Mourn the loss of one of our own – Buzz
- Western Wake Music Fest: Athens spearheads the Western Wake High Music Fest at Koka Booth on April 27th! Unique collaboration of 4 area high schools to promote the arts in our community through a performance of concert and jazz bands, orchestras and choruses in a professional amphitheater.
Schedule
End of year schedule is posted online. Marching Band schedule for 2014 has also been released and accessible from on website.
Director Update
- In the past month, we’ve had percussion performance in Dayton, Jazz XYZ, and spearheaded the Western Wake Music Fest at Koka Booth, which was all about serving, leadership in the community, influencing people and informing the community about the Athens band program.
- In May there’s lots of stuff. In addition to concerts, 14-15 Marching Band leadership positions will be posted tomorrow. The #1 goal is to take care of the entire band. There are great people in all positions. This announcement day requires emotional maturity, as some will be disappointed. Across the band, leadership is very strong. There’s a new surge of energy and enthusiasm with new leadership. Their first lesson will be to recruit new band members and other leaders.
- Marching band sign up deadline is June 6, 2014
- Graduation band has been announced.
- Jazz Ensemble will be playing for AARP at Cary Senior Center at Bond Park tomorrow. Need someone to drive the truck from noon until 2:15PM.
- Last week, we sent 9 Wind Ensemble volunteers to fulfill a serenade request for a local woman’s birthday. Kids felt the power and love of music. They gave a life changing experience, led by kids!
- May 17 is Cystic Fibrosis Walk and Prom
- Guitar lessons are open for the summer. Flexible schedule. 6 weeks
- Dr. Hedrick interviewed Drum Major candidates and was very impressed!
- 8-10 students auditioned for the US Army All American Band. We will know results around band camp.
- Thanks to all! It’s been an awesome year and we couldn’t have accomplished what we accomplished without the support and service of all of you!
