"Lake Erie Thunder" Camp #9

[LER Director]

I don't often post but felt the need to clarify a few things. As Gene said, then we learn.

Lake Erie Regiment (the corps we founded and ran for 12 successful seasons) went inactive in 2006 due to a lack of membership and the growing lack of fundraising ability. (casino coming in really hurt the bingo games and caused it to fold) In the years since we tried to hold all together but could not. Our Board (of which many are memebrs of the T'birds and the new Thunder board) met in October and decided to close our office on 38th street, move enough stuff to still run the DCI show and our other fundraisers to my house and basement and then allow the new Thunder to take FREE OF CHARGE our entire collection of instruments and uniforms, our truck and much much more. The thought was that they could use it to try and establish the Thunder.

As time went on, we of Lake Erie Fanfare ran our traditional Sportsman's Raffle with the Thunder but actually gave the Thunder the entire proceeds keeping nothing. This was our hope to help financially establish them. They also offered to assume the costs for the Regiment winter guard, in essence becoming the performance entity and we of the Fanfare would now become the "show" entity. In order to further help them, we have to date paid all the guard bills and will work with our friends at the Thunder to close up the season soon.

The Presque Isle Percussion was a separate entity run by one of our former members who approached us in 2007 about using the percussion equipment and so forth for this new program. We happily agreed and over their 3 years of existence, they used all of our equipment and several of the vehicles too. But again, they were not a part of Regiment, merely a group we decided to help out as best we could.

Being at the point in my life where I needed a break from the every day grind that it really is to put out a drum corps, I respectfully did not join the board of the new Thunder (also an independent organization). As such, I never went to any rehearsals but had been hearing great things and reading almost every day that it was coming together. But then again, you don't have to tell me twice about disappointments on quits and so forth. So that's the facts on the organizaitons for everyone. And I'm sure Gary Matczak will bear me out on all of these as being true. The Thunderbirds exist as their own group, THe Thunder is on it's way to do that, the Presqe Isle Percussion exists as it's own group and lastly, the Lake Erie Fanfare exists as a non profit to present the DCI show, the Regiment guard and whatever else in the future we can make work. It is our mission to help EVERYBODY trying to keep the marching music alive in this area and so we try to fulfill.

Again, just so you know who did what or tried to do what. As for the Regiment guard becoming the Thunder guard, it was always thought that some of the memebrs might be interested in going over to the program, but certainly nothing that could have been promised. I think the person who talked about kids and parents and working over the summer, and college, etc has the right road to travel on with that one. With the economy so bad, parents are now having the kids work to make ends meet. Perhaps that's even a lot of the reason we ran into the membership problem at the Regiment. But in closing, we are disappointed as hell that it didn't work but surely there's no need to get in the blame laying rut. Putting a corps together from the ground up IS very difficult to do.

I know. I did it. And with the help of a LARGE BOATLOAD of crazy people who believed in me and my crazy idea! Especially the girl I married. Keep at it. You will succeed!

[JohnZ]

Folks, I'm going to go ahead and close this thread - it has truly veered away from its original intent, and is headed in a downward spiral. PM me or the rest of the moderating team if you feel the need. thanks!