Ugh! OC food trailer breaks down on highway

[Scadesfan]

We're ready for the Oregon Crusaders in Michigan City. I talked to Mary today and arrangements have been made here for their kitchen needs. They'll have full use of the school kitchen, refrigeration, etc. School staff is also going to be there to help with whatever they need 24 hrs. a day. There will be no cost to OC for the added staff & help.

Hang in there OC.

Mike

Mike-

Thanks so very much for your help and hospitality. It is truely appreciated and maybe someday the Crusaders can reciprocate. This is the true spirit of Drum Corps when folks pull together because of the love for this activity. If you run into Mary say hi. Our sons went to high school together and she is a very nice lady and puts in alot of her time and energy for the Corps. Also enjoy the Crusaders show!

Thanks again!

Edited July 26, 2008 by Scadesfan

[DUCKSNEST]

Mike:

I too would like to thank you for the help in Michigan City. I will be there and hope I can meet you and shake your hand.

[argonaut]

It’s great to see that the schools are letting OC use their kitchens. I know that the cooking staff must have been pretty stressed out over the loss of the cook trailer. The cooking staff is up before everyone in the morning and the last group to get to sleep at night. When you’re on the road, you hardly get 15 minutes to yourself before you need to start preparing for the next meal or snack. They have enough stress to deal when everything is going their way. Being able to use the kitchens is a great relief. I’ve met the cooking staff with the Oregon Crusaders, and the corps is blessed to have a hard working and dedicated group of volunteers.

[OregonCrusadersBill]

It is to bad that this has happened but from their first score out it is not effecting the kids. We wish them the best! Even in the best situations with drum corps things will go wrong and you just work through them. Plus it brings things to remember down the road for us older drum corps people.

The best thing they can do is hope they can get kitchens all along the way and at Nationals. As Argonaunt said the volunteers work the hardest right now and if people could give them a hand even for a day would be great! It has been done in the past and can be done, but is difficult especially with no refrigeration available which means they have to buy food every day on the road. But I am sure they are doing the best they can and the kids are taking it in stride.

A couple people stated they were worried about the kids? The bus company OC is using as been used many years and provide the corps with the highest and safest equipment. Each of the drivers are mechanics and they preform maintaince on the equipment all along the route. In all the years the corps has used them we were never late or missed a show!

On the budget I would have to say a lot of corps are going through the same thing this year. Diesel prices are a $1 higher than when they did the contract which means food, propane and other items are also going up. The corps has less kids than the budget was set for. The other thing that really hurts all the corps is the amount of shows that pulled out this year. So if the corps does not have a show they have to pay for housing and find it themselves. OC lost several shows they were scheduled in so they are on there own unless DCI came to help out which I doubt. They haven't in the past so why now. They also lost the small amount of revenue they got for those shows. So all these things add up quick.

As in the past you can only do what you can do and then you make that desicision to fund the difference if you take them on the road. I did it for years and now Phil is. OC will survive and they are doing great! I wish them all the luck and hope they and Spokane Thunder come back 1 and 2. Wouldn't that be great for the NW!

Bill