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EAST BAND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Uniforms – This is a fun committee with lots of direct contact with the
kids, and is an extremely important one. Needing mostly organizational skills
and attention to detail, this committee measures and fits the kids for uniforms
during band camp, and then spends time before and after each game or performance
helping get the right uniform to the right student and then making sure it all
ends up back on the hanger. Initial fittings have been done on either weekdays
or Saturdays.
Frontline Percussion– The 'pit' instruments are the stationary percussion
instruments played by the sideline (i.e., timpani and xylophone). Parents assist
the band members before and after each home game half-time show and at
competitions in loading a truck with these instruments to drive them to the
field (only a few volunteers for this), setting them up, and taking them back to
the truck after half-time. No previous experience or special expertise required.
If you can carry cow bells and chimes, you can do this. This is a good one for
couples to do together, too. Sign up to help at a single performance, or for the
entire Marching Band season. (You don’t need to be a parent of a percussionist –
everyone can help.)
Chaperone – Whenever the band travels to a performance, we have two
parents ride each bus to chaperone. This is a great way to meet the band
members. We will assign you to a bus other than your child’s if preferred by you
or your child.
Color Guard Helpers – Mothers with daughters will understand. We need a
few people who can help the color guard prepare for performances by organizing
costumes, assisting with flags, and hair and makeup assistance.
Photography – This committee takes stills or videos of performances,
helps coordinate band DVD production, and takes pictures during band camp for
photo buttons.
Marching Band Care Packages – Help send our students off to their
out-of-town competitions by putting care packages together. The committee will
solicit drinks and snacks to be packaged up for band members to enjoy on the
long bus rides. The committee will also explore ways to keep a supply of bottled
water on hand for thirsty musicians. You have no idea how much bottled water a
band of 185 members can go through on a hot day on the field in competition!
Volunteers will also arrange for water to be carried to the stadium for band
performances at East High football games.
Band Camp Picnic – The picnic is held in August on the last night of band
camp. When you sign up for this one, you are done before the school year starts
(so you could even sign up for two things!). This committee has a great notebook
describing every detail for the last three band picnics.
Welcome Reception for Parents of New Band Members – Volunteers will
arrange for refreshments and a venue for parents of new band members at the
first booster meeting after the band picnic. Objectives are to get acquainted,
and to give rookie parents a chance to ask questions about the band program,
camp, schedule, etc.
Tailgate Parties – Help with pre-game gatherings before home football
games.
Spring Band Banquet – This is held in late May as a year-end celebration
in the gym to honor all band, ensemble, and color guard members. This committee
organizes the event by choosing a theme, selecting the caterer, preparing senior
gifts, etc.
Handy Tools and Projects Group – Sometimes the marching band shows
involve simple props (i.e., a small platform), or other needs arise from time to
time. If you are handy with tools, sign up for this one (and you can sign up for
another area, too, because we may never call you for this one).
Jazz Band – Jazz band includes supporting Prep jazz band and Blue Note.
This committee puts on a reception in connection with the spring concert
(usually in April) and has a concession stand on a Saturday morning in April to
raise money for cool jazz band activities.
Fundraising Opportunities for Individuals – Knowing school activities are
hard on family budgets, band boosters offer optional fundraising opportunities
for students’ individual accounts. In the past, these have included the sale of
POGO cards, magazines, poinsettias, and hanging plant baskets. Volunteers
usually opt to help with only one of these. If you have a great new fundraising
idea, sign up and we’ll try it out!
Fundraising Opportunities for the Band - We also have fundraising to help
the entire band program. The Annual fundraisers include:
• Waffleman – This event can be held any time during the year. Help is needed to
locate a suitable venue to hold the event, advertising, lining up volunteers to
help serve and clean up.
• Calendar Fundraiser - In the past this was a calendar given free to East High
families that lists all school year events (not just music). We sell ads to area
businesses to support the calendar and the band program. Volunteers make
contacts to past or potential supporters. This year, the calendar has changed
and will be a full color calendar with different photos for each month. The
calendar will be sold as a fundraiser this year.
• Year-round fundraisers include cashing in aluminum cans, Best Choice
UPCs and Tyson labels; and selling East High Spartan clothing. Bring your ideas
for additional fund-raisers!
When or Where Needed – Just what it says. Maybe you signed up for a
short-term project, but you’re available to help if we get in a pinch! Or maybe
they all sound like too much fun and you can’t decide. We just sleep better at
night knowing we have a list of people to call on when we need to.
Pops and Pies – This all-band concert event is held in May and
practically runs itself! Band parents are asked to bring a dessert to share.
Volunteers are needed to promote the event, organize the food service area,
serve and clean up.
Communications – With so many band members, it is important to get
infor-mation out to students and parents in a timely, cost-effective manner.
• Band Web Site - The East High bands have a great web site at GOBAND.org. This
is the main source of band news so we parents can easily check out the latest
newsletter, fundraisers, etc. so it needs to be kept up-to-date.
Volunteers are needed to check the site frequently for outdated or
need-to-add information.
• Telephone Tree – This is simply a list of volunteers who have agreed to help
make phone calls when there are phone calls to be made. It’s a “tree,” meaning
you call several people who have agreed to call several people, etc., so there
are never very many calls to make. The work of this committee will be especially
important in getting messages to our parents and students who do not have e-mail
addresses.
• E-Mail List Maintenance – If you like to work alone, this is the job for you.
The volunteer uses the web-based Yahoo! Groups service to update e-mail
addresses as needed, and to post announcements on behalf of the directors of the
East High Band program or a member of the Band Boosters Board or one of its
committee chairs. Must be willing to commit to “dropping everything” in order to
get urgent messages posted. If you are techno-savvy, your ideas on how to
improve our e-mail efforts would be welcomed! |
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