A rich kid's sport

[DrumCorpsMom]

We certainly aren't rich, but we thought it was good value for the money. It was the only activity we supported.

Perhaps there are a few things that corps or individuals could do to help offset expenses:

1) Set up an Air Miles fund. Lots of people collect them, but do not use them - they can stockpile them for use for flights to mandatory camps. Set up a corps account and actively solicit donations.

2) Actively seek sponsorships, or help members put together a sponsorship package. $1000 is a lot of money, but if you can come up with a professional way for them to get 100 people to sponsor them for $10 each, to compete in a world championship, it may be more manageable. Maybe provide pins or certificates of sponsorship to thank them.

3) Get a small job specifically to raise funds to march. Deliver newspapers, get a McJob - $25/week for 40 weeks is $1000

4) Maybe DCI or DCP could set up a Sponsor Donations area, where people could donate to help. Provide the ability to pay for the member directly to the corps, to avoid risking giving money to someone who ends up not marching.

There must be other ways..... any thoughts?

Personally, I sold everything from chocolate bars, to garbage bags so I could march, and also held down 3 jobs - with every cent going to drum corps. We had a single income family with 5 kids and $100 may as well have been $5000.