[DCI Tour Premier Detroit, MI - June 20, 2019]

From what I  have seen of clips of Corps so far, I think the fans are the winners tonight. Up and down world class corps are really working hard to get their shows ready.

[Boston Crusaders 2019]

Hype or excitement? Isn't this the Boston Crusader 2019 thread? I  for one appreciate the support from our supporters.

As I  enter my 41st consecutive year with the corps I am very excited and confident. 

I look forward to watching the kids, going crazy and supporting as best I can.

2019 should be the best edition of the Boston Crusaders to date.

Eat Em up!

[Boston Crusaders 2019]

Lot's of talk on the new food truck which is well deserved. It is a phenomenal vehicle and as most know on the road, it is home base for the Corps. Also noteworthy is that the members and all staff are sleeping in college dorms and eating in the school cafeteria. This gives us a chance to break in the new truck by preparing snack only and it is a much better experience for all involved.

[Inspire Arts & Music/BAC Annual Holiday Online Auction]

View this email in your browser Our Holiday Auction is LIVE! Auction Ends 11/30 at 10pm (Eastern) Let the bidding begin! New items added daily! CLICK TO VIEW ALL ITEMS CLICK TO VIEW ALL ITEMS

[Inspire Arts & Music/BAC Annual Board retreat]

Hi, sitting in the Theatre at the IAM headquarters in Hyde Park on the 3rd day of our annual retreat weekend. All too often I  read about the negative things going on in our activity. It is worth sharing that what we do on an annual basis as it is a very positive and motivating weekend. We tie in our annual Golf tournament on Friday when people are arriving ahead of the meetings. We have moved the meetings to the Marriott in Quincy to accommodate the majority of the 50 Board members coming in from out of state. The Golf tournament was a huge success despite battling through the rain. We maxed out sponsors and players and raised over $60K net. The Board retreat is run on Saturday 9 - 6 at the Marriott and today a half day at our building in Hyde Park.  Last night we hosted a IAM volunteer appreciation night at the House of Blues in Boston - this was a first and a huge success. The Board covers numerous topics during the weekend including: reviewing & updating our strategic plan, 2018 year in review, getting a view of the business plan for the next 3 years including a focus on the 80th anniversary, a coaching session on raising money and "how to ask", review of the budget for 2019, approval of strategic plan adjustments, M&A update and finally Health & safety update. Today at the building we review the Board survey, all program updates including BAC, and a focus on our largest Asset - the Building. Running a successful non profit is a huge commitment and we are fortunate to have a great BOD.

 

 

[Boston Crusaders 2018]

Just a quick note to thank our supporters on DCP. Top 5 finish, highest score ever at semi finals and highest finals score, top Color Guard, very strong across the board in all captions. The corps traveled extremely well, utilized outstanding rehearsal facilities, ate well, produced great media, had a superb medical team on the road at all times, all at the highest levels of the activity. I am extremely proud of the entire organization - especially the outstanding members. There is no off season, lots going on:

Delivery of the new State of the Art Catering Truck

Sale of Yamaha Equipment 

The Crusader Classic Golf Tournament on 9/28

Board Retreat the Saturday 9/29 & 9/30

Volunteer Appreciation Night at the House of Blues on Saturday 9/29

Planning for PASIC performance in November

Right into Camps

On a personal note, my 40th season with the corps was amongst the best. 

#BuildingAChampion

 

 

[Boston Crusaders 2018]

BAC is steaming into Texas and doing just fine. 2 Days in Belton, TX which has been a great host for several years will feel like a home show. Corps will be treated to a shaved Ice fest after the Belton show. Then onto San Antonio with a stay at CTJ and a dynamite stadium for 4 days. The Corps will be treated to a Texas BBQ on Friday which has been put on by the Winckel family for the past 4 years - son Nick is one of the DM's. We are truly blessed with great parents and the best alumni in the activity! I  will travel to Texas with my brother for the 5th year in a row. This stop has been a critical one to help boost momentum. Some day when I write the book "Building A Champion" I  will share more insights into critical evaluations, conversations, meetings and planning that took place in San Antonio over the years. Looking forward to cheering on my Corps, and running into some great friends.

#BuildingAChampion

 

 

[Boston Crusaders 2018]

For the 78th year in a row, the Boston Crusaders have a first show of the year performance tonight. Having been active for each of the past 40 years, I  am proud of how prepared our Corps is. Great leadership, staff, volunteers and members coming together to put our best out there for the Drum Corps World to enjoy. 

[Boston Crusaders 2018]

A friend of mine attended BAC camp in Tampa this weekend and sent me the following message:

"Well, I      went down to Lakewood Ranch last night and oh my.....you've got a smoking brass line. The book is insane. You guys have really figured iy out. Congrats."

[Boston Crusaders 2018]

A local performing group Jazz fusion - partnership with Berkley!

[Boston Crusaders 2018]

Kick off weekend for Inspire Arts & Music and the Boston Crusaders! Golf tournament was a huge success - over $40,000 in sponsors and 140 golfers. Board retreat weekend in Quincy today and at our building tomorrow. Board members in town from all over - India, Scotland, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Indiana, and Massachusetts. Fist ever Wine tasting tonight in Quincy. Updates on all aspects of the organization; Great East Music Festivals; Great East Music Store; Our building; Concert in the Park; all performing groups - BAC, HpYPE, SAC, 7th Regiment, Brass Choir, Koto Band; reviewing the strategic plan; reviewing the 2018 budget; Overall a great opportunity for engagement for 50 people that are passionate about helping kids!

[2017 Crusader Classic Golf Tournament]

Great day, maxed out sponsors & golfers - over $40,000 in sponsors and 140 golfers. A good mix of sponsor golfers and alumni. Looking forward to next year!

[Inspire Arts & Music Wine Tasting]

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/iam-wine-tasting-tickets-37432465512

 

 

Come out and support Inspire Arts & Music all while enjoying great food and great wine!

DATE AND TIME

Sat, September 30, 2017

6:00 PM – 10:00 PM EDT

Add to Calendar

LOCATION

The Fours

15 Cottage Avenue 

Quincy, MA 02169

 

"Fantastic Foods" to pair with over 50 wines!

Fruit & Cheese for Pairings

 

"Raw Bar":

Shrimp

Oysters

Clams

Ahi Tuna

Crab

 

Passed hors d’oeuvres:

Buttered Filet Mignon on French Bread

Chicken Tenders

Meatballs Marinara

Chipotle Burger Sliders

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

Scallops wrapped in Bacon

 

Buffet:

Pasta Bar & Ceasar Salad

 

Dessert:

Cheesecake Drops

 

ONLY 100 TICKETS AVAILABLE!

[2017 Crusader Classic Golf Tournament]

https://bostoncrusaders.org/golf-tournament/

 

2017 Crusader Classic Golf Tournament

Friday, September 29, 2017
Shotgun Start - 8:00a (Registration begins at 7:00a)

Chemawa Golf Course
350 Cushman Rd, North Attleborough, MA 02760

All levels are welcome - and each year all skill levels are present. It’s a fun day where all the proceeds from the event help support non-profit arts in the City of Boston

$165.00 Entry Fee* Per Single Player, $150 if you pre-register $600.00 Entry Fee* for Foursomes, $550 if you pre-register *Fee includes Green & Cart Fees, and a buffet lunch

We are pleased to offer a variety of sponsorship opportunities, starting at $75 and incrementing up to our exclusive Presenting Sponsor level. We invite you to investigate these opportunities on the next page.

Winning Foursome, Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, Hole in One and Putting Contest.
Other raffle and prize opportunities.

Inspire Arts & Music is a not-for-profit organization whose programs seek to develop and ‘inspire’ young adults via a portfolio of performing arts programs. Our mission is to help them develop and demonstrate the qualities needed to achieve excellence in both their program and their personal lives. IAM program serve young adults from all backgrounds, typically from the early teens through college age. Our programs are based in New England but will draw membership from across the United States. Since inception, over 70,000 students have benefited from IAM programs.

[Staff Merry-go-round 2018 Edition]

George Dixon - do you think it is fair that an organization that has a competitive Drum Corps and runs a band circuit should be able to hire DCI judges? Maybe there should be a rule against that?

[Staff Merry-go-round 2018 Edition]

1 minute ago, Lead said:

Was that a thing? Or did it just... not happen this year?

New rule

[Staff Merry-go-round 2018 Edition]

3 hours ago, George Dixon said:

Hopkins and a few other directors asked for the delay to allow everyone to focus on the current season the final few weeks and then chats can happen prior to Labor Day. It brings a bit of order.

As far as Boston being the reason corps can't rent LOS - hadn't heard that. However I don't know that "Fairness" and a corps rehearsing IN the competition facility go hand in hand. I feel the same way about that as I do about "System Blue" being a DCI sponsor. That shouldn't be happen either

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should lol 

 

Cadets rehearsed at the host site for the Orlando show day of event. Crown rehearsed at the stadium at Wake Forest day of event. I could go on and on.  Fair? Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. 

[Staff Merry-go-round 2018 Edition]

Rumors are one thing, official announcements are another. 

[Staff Merry-go-round 2018 Edition]

What will be interesting this year is that the Directors passed a rule last fall that basically does not allow anyone to announce any staff changes until after labor day.

[Corps Income/Revenue Stream]

Just to clarify a few things: The reported amounts are gross revenue and not net. Revenues can help cash flows especially in those periods of time when there is not a lot of traditional Drum Corps cash coming in. As for Boston, we have built the organization for the long term. The responsibility of a BOD is to fund raise and provide governance. We have a BOD of over 40 people with diverse backgrounds and skills - we have a give/get requirement. We have methodically built a sustainable non profit that services our members and runs on business principles. We have been very clear with the activity and the other Corps about our approach. We have been a major advocate for the Board consortium which brings together the Board members from all corps to share best practices and focus on the good of the activity. We have programs at the local level providing free music education and performance opportunities for local kids in need; a profitable regional Music Festival Company that augments scholastic music performance opportunities for 20,000 students and 500 programs across New England and New York; and our national touring program The Boston Crusaders. We bought a building in Hyde Park to be our headquarters; our main tenant is a music theatre program called Riverside Theatre Works; we opened a music store in our building and we are are distributor for Yamaha instruments - which we also provide for free to our local students; we have some other retail rental tenants and the building is also a positive contributor to our cash flow and a big part of the equity on our balance sheet. We do have an incredibly supportive Alumni and friends network and they contribute just like other Corps especially the older ones. We are committed to Building A Champion and have hired an outstanding Executive Director in Chris Holland former DM, Music Educator and Lawyer and he has assembled an incredible team he has signed on for the long term. Everything we do goes through a business development committee of the BOD and has an ROI assigned to it. We are very pleased with our progress and look forward to a very positive future.

BTW - I think the ultimate winner here are the fans as evidenced by their response at shows and the souvie booth. 

 

 

[Thank you Blue Knights, Madison Scouts and The Academy]

Thank you for pointing out my mistake, you must be a judge lol. Hopefully the mods can remove

[Thank you Blue Knights, Madison Scouts and The Academy]

On behalf of the entire Inspire Arts & Music and Boston Crusaders organization I want to thank the Blue Knights, Madison Scouts and Academy for coming east to Lawrence last night. As we continue to support each other, the balance of power in the activity is certain to shift and hopefully even out. 4 Corps plus our Senior Corps, the North Star Alumni Corps and the Muchachos put on a very entertaining evening for our fans. The combined performance by BAC and Madison was a Drum Corps fans delight with a combined "YWNWA and Conquest" and BAC playing Conquest. It was the icing on a great evening. BAC had record breaking souvie sales and overall a great night for Crusader Nation.

Thanks for being true partners in this great activity!

 

[2017 Boston Crusaders]

July 31st battling for 5th/6th and BAC pushed through the tough performance order stretch. Great job staff and members. Heading north and firing on all cylinders a result of great planning and execution across the board from operating on the road, the fleet, food, souvies, rehearsal facilities, design adjustments, teaching excellence and member achievement. Fund raising has been outstanding - crushing it in the DCI giving challenge, and planning to finish the year strong on all fronts. The corps has done this all on the road with no opportunities to show the Boston family it's finished product. Looking forward to some east coast home court in Lawrence this Thursday and a big night in Allentown on Saturday night. Some great events planned around the next two weeks: Big homecoming on Thursday in Lawrence including clinic, Senior Corps cookout for the kids, VIP reception for donors before the show and then combined performance with Madison for an encore; Friday visit to Most Precious Blood Church; Saturday in Allentown - big cookout for Alumni & Friends in the park put on buy the Board of Directors at 4:00 before the show - starting later due to nice late step off time; next week in Indi - hotels for the members, indoor and stadium practice facilities, the board has rented the Colts Club (Gate 10) at the stadium for all s show nights for Alumni & friends from 6PM - 2 AM, 3 great performances and a banquet on Sunday. Keep pushing!

[2017 Boston Crusaders]

I was in Texas, BAC much improved, up 11 points and 7 places over the same show in 2016 and San Antonio score was higher than DCI finals score last year.

I think the fans are winners this year as well judging by their reaction to the show.

I love it when a plan comes together - Keep pushing!

 

 

 

[2017 Boston Crusaders]

Heading to the lone star state with my big bro. We head down every summer for the Texas swing. It's hot and a part of tour that we like to lend our support to the kids. Plenty of ice, gatorade and treats for the kids. We love Crusader stadium and the corps has a great relationship with Mary Hardin University. 3 days in the stadium, sleeping in air-conditioned dorms, ice machine delivered for the week, special Board & Alumni shaved ice event after the show tonight, a Texas sized BBQ put on by the families of members from Texas tomorrow, and then on to a 4th place seeding in the Alamo Dome. Have not seen them live since Florida - Burn Em Up Boston!