Leaderboard

I figure you guys are probably aware, but just in case. The Madison Scouts has decided to pursue classes with staff and current members throughout the summer. They are also hoping for a week or two in late July or August to bring the corps together to get somewhat of a summer experience. I thought the email and video were excellent. My kid will be participating and in return, contracts will be extended to 2021. Still a Madison Scout family socially distant! 💚⚜️🤍

THIS IS HUGE!!! Even "non-itemizers" can now get a charitable deduction of up to $300 for gifts to non-profits. Initial analysis of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) (S. 748) reveals: "Charitable Giving Incentive: Includes a new above-the-line deduction (universal or non-itemizer deduction that applies to all taxpayers) for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to contributions made in 2020 and would be claimed on tax forms next year. Section 2204. The bill also lifts the existing cap on annual contributions for those who itemize, raising it from 60 percent of adjusted gross income to 100 percent. For corporations, the bill raises the annual limit from 10 percent to 25 percent. Food donations from corporations would be available to 25 percent, up from the current 15 percent cap. Section 2205." (emphasis mine) PLEASE! NOW is the time to come to the aid of the drum corps activity! Make a charitable contribution now of whatever you can afford! Please see your tax advisor! An "above the line" deduction means that your contribution is a dollar-for-dollar REDUCTION in your taxable income for 2020! For a donor in the 10% income tax bracket, the effect is that you receive a $30 credit (10% of $300) on your 2020 Federal income tax, making the actual cost to the donor only $270 while your favorite corps gets $300!. For a taxpayer in the 30% tax bracket the cost of a $300 gift is only $210! The IRS is "chipping in" the difference to encourage your gift! Please see your tax advisor and then make a $300 (or more!) gift today to your favorite drum corps! (NOTE: As of this writing, the US House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the CARES act as part of the Senate's overall stimulus package. #PassTheDamnBill!) And, larger donors also get an incentive in that they can now write off up to 100% of their income through charitable deductions to non-profit orgs. Come on, Big Donors! Step up and #WriteTheCheck!

The financial dynamics for families will change too. Less disposable income.

Yep I sure am. I can wait one more year. I am all good with The Madison Scouts. Always have been, always will be. This Alumni is ready for the ladies to come join us. Looking forward to it! Go 2021 Madison Scouts!

Thanks you, Scott.

It's gonna be a loooooooooooooooooong off-season.

I won’t be seeing Terri and Jim or the others I have met, and something sad has dawned on me. In the section where I sit there are many seniors, some of whom are familiar names who have given so much to the activity. This past fall was tough for more than a few of them with the typical issues that arise in the “Golden Years.” They have been a fun group to be with, a great source of stories, and even those who miss the old days still loved what was on the field. A few have said 2020 would be their last trip to finals. I’m hoping to see them in 2021 but let’s face it, even for the young in great health, three non stop days in a football stadium requires energy and stamina.

non profits are eligible for help from the new legislation, and i expect more legislation can help as it rolls out. maybe now some groups will get their #### together on fundraising and financial planning

loose translation: "grumble grumble girls grumble grumble BOD doesn't listen to me grumble grumble get those girls off my lawn grumble grumble i need a snickers grumble grumble girls have cooties grumble grumble"

So you’re saying none of the non-profit theaters are well endowed? I’ll let myself out.

I am more bummed out with BD losing the opportunity to get 20 in 20.

I love that show!!! Watched it years ago when it first came out.

You shouldn't be so hard on garfield. I think he meant well.

I’m picturing all the other corps closing down their “Contact Us” page faster than the doors and shutters in an old west town at high noon.

Tell your new corps you enjoy leaving laughing faces on coronavirus posts also. Sure they’d love to have you represent them.

I don’t know. Seems like if there were ever a situation where we should all pump the brakes and treat each other with patience and kindness, that time is now. So, you Really need an answer today? No, you don’t. And you know of kids saying they won’t go back? Really? Seems more like drama and posturing to me. If that’s the way they behave then maybe it’s better for everybody that they don’t come back. Cadets are made of better than that.

I’m right... they’re wrong... I’m right... they’re wrong... unprecedented stuff going on and each group has “the” answer..... weird part is each different opinion might be right depending on what part of the country they look at.. IOW one size ain’t gonna fit all

I knock wood every day that, being the branch manager, I'm able to kick everyone else out and have the place to myself. Literally, I'm one of only two people in the whole building. The kids are both doing class work foisted on them by their professors, and my wife is focused on healthy eating and getting everyone out for a walk with the dog every day.

I sort of hope they can keep the lid on most of their show and field it next season.

A friendly reminder as well to those donating a few bucks over the next year that lower-ranking & recently-founded corps will be just as in need of our support. By all accounts, groups like The Academy, Troopers, Seattle Cascades, & Colts work in a bit of a different arena each season in that they emphasize turning out excellent members of society over the placements of the season. These organizations are just as integral to our activity's health as the headliners that draw the giant crowds. Not to mention the help terrific younger groups Genesis, Music City, Guardians, & Legends will need who don't necessarily have the deep alumni support, simply because they haven't existed long enough to have churned a generation or two of alum through their program. 2019 saw groups like Pacific Crest and Jersey Surf on top of their games like never before and having thriving seasons, and that's what will keep our activity alive and well in addition to the big names returning to success in 2021.

And in case anyone is wondering how the larger corps are handling this, here is an excerpt from the BD FAQ for members: Will there be a 2021 season for the A Corps, B Corps, and C Corps? We are working on those plans now with our drum corps partners, Drum Corps International, BDPA staff, and BDPA Board of Directors. We are taking a "yes" position as we work through these very difficult issues. Please look for more information soon.

My only hope is that this delay doesn't kill the momentum that Mandarins and Pacific Crest had. Both corps had a killer last year and I was really looking forward to 2020 from both of them.

Does this mean I have to WAIT another year to find out what show they are doing?? Another LONG fall, winter, spring of insults and sarcasm?? Really?? Id rather drink bleach lol.

Crownies always complaining!

Found this on FaceTube ( After 18 minutes my nose started to bleed)

Are you going after Boston in the same way? They haven't announced in publicly in a statement. Who really knows what they're going to do? I will never understand why so many people on here think they should be entitled to have the first shake at information that is meant for a corps' membership.

The manpower relationship between DCI and the member corps is exactly inverse right now - the corps have many more resources available to do their own marketing and fundraising than DCI does, especially in light of this week's staff reductions. DCI"s primary job right now is to figure out how to survive. This year, they'll have no ticket revenues from shows, no media products to sell, etc, etc - in short, they have no predictable sources of revenues for the foreseeable future. Given that their practical necessity to the activity as the producer of the major events is greater than any single corps' ability to survive, they'll need to put on their own air mask before they even consider helping anyone else next to them.

Senior corps deiced to wait this corona virus thing out. Kids dying to sharpen their Brass, Percussion and Guard skills deiced to join a DCA corps. DCA corps are better than ever. Drum Corps starved fans flock to DCA shows DCA enjoys a boom year that carries over for years to come Fans get their Drum Corps Fix. Kids sharpen their skills some even stay with their new home in DCA Summer 2020 turns out not so bad. Fred delays wedding plans until after DCA Championships

Myopic Mandys?

I bet everyone who ever skipped a show for a hot dog would give up a hot dog for a show now.

Irony alert as dvr’ed Dr Strangelove last night and only partway thru. Will be hearing that song later... 😆

Children of Sanchez and Tiger of San Pedro

I know of one member's family who couldn't be more appreciative of the impressive leadership Denise and her team have shown this season and especially throughout this unprecedented time. This member's family has yet to experience the "lack of information" that you have alleged. But feel free to keep stirring the pot, if it makes you feel better.

We’ll miss seeing you, too. We’ll be there in 2021...unless this bug gets me and then I’m going to will my ticket to one of you. And you can sit by Jim and Jimmy Wagner for three days. It gets salty. 🧂 Luckily, no one sits in front of us and Tony D is used to it. 😂

Touring is a money loser. So as a standalone item, most corps are better off without it financially. Fundraising is harder to figure out. Cancelling tour gets rid of some fundraising opportunities, but also gets rid of the need for much of that fundraising to occur. My sense is that the greater economic environment is the challenge for most corps survival.

Can I call you Milburn Drysdale?

WONDERFUL NEWS!! "...when people talk about 20% of the population being affected, it's very scary." "But, we don't have data that matches that based on the experience." This is WELL worth watching and it reflects the impact of more data coming in. There IS SIGNIFICANT reason to be very, very careful if you are in a risk category! But all of us can begin to believe that, if we follow the guidelines of these doctors and leaders, there is also significant reason to believe the impact will not be nearly as horrific to the general population as originally predicted. (PLEASE leave the snark and finger-pointing to other threads. Let's recognize that this is GREAT news for people at risk and the general population at large.)

Quarantine Day #10: I politely asked my wife to "please remove me from all argumentative conversations". She actually laughed.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/in-fight-against-coronavirus-the-world-gives-medical-heroes-a-standing-ovation/ar-BB11KQHe?OCID=AVRES007

Yes! Being a Cali kid born and raised, I want nothing more than four Cali corps in finals.

I am certainly not getting cocky, cant and wont speak for anyone else. But if anyone could stick their chest out, its BD.

Blue Devils 1989 and Bluecoats 1989.

this is drum corps...there is no place for logical discussions of financial awareness

Sad to see this show never hit the field.

Two weeks ago I was feeling sorry for myself as our long-planned 3-week trip to Italy in mid-June was virtually over. I purchased four seats in Business class (Lufthansa) non-refundable, and pre-paid four nice hotels also at a non-refundable rate. It’s Italy! What could go wrong? Now…….I see the economic devastation many are facing, or will soon face, and I feel silly for crying over a lost vacation and a few thousand dollars. If I get any of this money back (doubtful) I’ll give some to Pacific Crest.

Well I guess that fixes THAT complaint! Onto the next one I guess.

I watched all 7 episodes in one sitting! I said to myself “what did I just watch?!?”

Kind of like it was in the early days of DCI. If you have the Brass Roots video (I have the vhs somewhere), Bonfligio, Warren, Kampschroer, et al discuss how they literally put their family finances on the line.

Sure, and you'll need collateral to get a loan. We'll start with up to the elbow and the knee.

Either some synapse aren't firing correctly or someone didn't pay attention in their English classes. WTH?