C. Smith

Update: Great organizational meeting this past weekend in Tampa with some dedicated people to support this effort. Check List: Accountant - On the Board Lawyer - On the Board Bank VP - On the Board Two Business Onwers - On the Board 501 © 3 Paperwork being completed for January 4, 2010 Seed Money obtained for start-up - In hand Next step: Complete paperwork, complete board, Contact DCA, website up and running by Feb 1, 2010!!! HERE WE GO!!!! CS

Mr. Hall - We have made a decision to go our own route but look forward to working with all DCA corps from the South. We have a lot of work to do but we have some great support and people working with us. Special thanks for Jim for all his support thus far. C. Smith

Thank you all so much. We have our hands full and will ask for help with any questions that come our way. We do have drum corps people consulting for us at this early stage. We only have one year to met our target date of 2011 on the field. A lot of work to be done and all of the comments that have come our way have been great. Thank you. C. Smith

I'm not sure I get the Gasparilla thing but no we are the Tampa Bay Thunder All Age Drum and Bugle Corps. However the Gasparilla Festival is huge in Tampa and I'm sure down the road we would like to participtate. Again, this is a major project that will take time to create and develope. Our goal is to come out for the 2011 season and we need every bit of that time to be prepared. Thanks. C. Smith

We will be sending a mass email to anyone who marched in the Thunder 2000 and 2001 after the first of the year. This is a slow process and that we are taking very serious. We want to be as prepared as possible and will schedule a organizational open house meeting for all to attend this spring. Hope this helps? C. Smith

Out of respect to Mr. Newman the Founder of the Tampa Bay Thunder we have contacted him and he has given us all past years information and data. He is a very busy man these days with his company but has offered charter service to us at great rates. He does the same for Teal Sound and many other indoor groups. We realize that things didn't turn out as Jim had planned with the Thunder but stuff happens. I can also tell you he is not the same guy now that he was then. His heart was always in the right place and as a former member I realize he put his personal life on the line for us members and we had a great experience at his expense but these days are much different for him. I won't be specific but he is very fortunate and contributes to many performing groups. (Ask Teal) We hope to have him as a consultant to our program in time. Will see!! C. Smith

A group of the Tampa Bay Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps Alumni have started to the process of bringing the corps back as a DCA Competitive corps in 2011. This was a very good start-up group from 1999 thru 2001 that had a very large number of its local members that went on to be DCI Finalist members, local educators business executives. Unfortunately as a DCI corps the Thunder could not manage on its own and mergered with the Kiwanis Kavaliers for 2002, the rest is history. While we are optimistic in our goals we would like to know what the DCA fans think. We are currently in the planning stages and will have our business plan in place during the next few months and at that time we will open our website that will include everything you want or need to know. Feel free to post or send emails direct to: tampabaythunder@yahoo.com C. Smith Tampa Bay Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps