BlueCavie Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Wow, "BlueCavie"...sounds like somebody hit a nerve? Real sorry to hear about the hard times. Wasn't he with the corps in 2006? What have you all been doing the last 4 yrs to ensure the corps was in good finances shape? I feel bad for the kids this season...hope they can pull it out. I'll donate what I can Ah...Shucks, Star. Thanks for calling me out. lol I know the corps has been struggling for the past few years. I was the corps director in 2001-2002 then took time off to raise my children AT HOME (lol). I'm not affiliated with the summer program anymore and volunteer my time to RIW as an instructor. Most of the following is based on familiarity with the program....just to caveat Now, this South Texas "have and have not issue" has been the weakness within the financial program. Johnny and I have not always seen eye to eye on a lot of issues, but as the director, back then, we agreed on one thing for sure: Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to experience what most of us, on this site, have experienced. When kids could not pay, but have made a valiant effort, we would ensure they found some type of third party donations. As the program has progressed, so had it size. John's plan was always slow growth, but demand and talent can influence planning. The question that needs to be asked, before any neigh-sayers jump on my thread, is "Would we be having this long, drawn-out, somewhat biased debate if the blog had never posted anything concerning REVO NEEDS HELP!?" Yes, the administration posted this cry out, but not of their own doing... the idea came from parents who do more than pay their kids fees...they are actively involved with the program on and off the field. I don't think I need to explain this. Those parents and others asked the administration to reach out. Johnny Rodriguez has the biggest heart of any man I've ever met. For him to come out publicly and state for DC World to see that the program needed help, WAS HUGE!!! There are no egos involved here. He has never wanted recognition. That in itself says that the program has its faults, but he and his "constants" will never stop trying to provide Southern Texas an affordable exciting drum corps experience. Let's stop the negativity and the finger pointing and keep these kids on the road. I've sponsored 3 RYPA kids this year in both programs. I continually solicit funds from where ever I can: my business associates, neighbors, barter-broker exchange, etc. My money is always welcome, as is anyones. This program has gone up and down and has had more great years than bad. We all stumble. Are so many concerned where anyone should put there money on this site? There has to be some type of vested interest or personal vendetta? Please, please, please help these kids move forward. I apologize to the people posting on this string. Yes, the GM issue hit a personal chord when the name was just thrown out there seemingly out of nowhere. I did not mean to attack him personally, but .......anyway. I spoke to a member of the RYPA administration. Things are looking better. They are not out of the woods by far, but out reach is having an effect. For those of you who would like to donate, please check out the links provided in earlier threads. Thanks again for hearing me out. Doug McCarroll Revolution Director 2001-2002 Rev Pub Relations/Recruiting 2003 RIW Staff 2009-2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicdirect Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 This is the first reply by a Rev insider. Thank you. However, no administration should forced to do anything that in the longrun hurts the group even if parents are requesting it. Rev has a poor track record with money to the point of it impacting the members on the road, staff members not being paid and vendors being ignored for outstanding bills that only creates a bigger buzz when posts like this are made. As stated on various posts I don't think anyone is questioning the passion by the administration just the ability to operate a business (drum corps) as it should be. You never put your laundry on the street and if you do this is what you can expect. Take care of your business and it will take care of you and most importantly communication is the key to success!!! Speak to your parents, members, staff and vendors. Let them know what you plan is and keep it in house as long as you have communicated and made the effort to fix issues I don't think anyone would give you a real hard time but after many years of the same negitive stuff, people will not be on your side. JVN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magonigal Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 "Johnny Rodriguez has the biggest heart of any man I've ever met. For him to come out publicly and state for DC World to see that the program needed help, WAS HUGE!!! There are no egos involved here. He has never wanted recognition. That in itself says that the program has its faults, but he and his "constants" will never stop trying to provide Southern Texas an affordable exciting drum corps experience." George W. Bush loves this country and Americans but could we survive with him still running things? The question is not heart or intentions, rather it's about doing the right things. Heart and best intentions does not an effective leader make. I have read these posts and I have not read anyone yet say they should NOT give donations to help these kids. What I have seen is a very valid point in getting involved and finding out where that money is being spent and if it is being spent the correct way to finish the season healthy and in a position to give the members the best experience. It is clear, after the many years of financial downfalls, that there is something terribly wrong with the way things are done by those that have existed with in it consistantly for the last 5 years. Don't just throw money at the same problem over and over, get involved! If you are a financial planner, offer your services, if you are in sales offer your help, if you are an organizational planner offer your help, if you are a parent ASK QUESTIONS! It seems that some on this thread would like to divert the issue into a question of who's right and who is wrong, but the reality is that groups go through these financial problems and it happens in Open Class more than anywhere. With that said it happens to this group every season and it is time to stand up as parents, fans and drum corps followers and ask why and do what we can to help ensure that these kids and educational staff not only be allowed to finish what they started but to also prevent this from happening in the future for the survival of this organazation. That is all anyone is really saying. The long term goal of any drum corps should be survival and giving it's members a sense of pride to build a base from and call home, and with the excessive turnover of staff and members year after year it should be clear where the issues originate. Think about your own work environment....would any of this fly where you work or would someone step in and changes be made for the survival of the business? Revolution is an amazing group and has the potential every season of doing great things...but it's because of the educational staff and members and despite the Executive Director and Business Manager, not the other way around. DONATE, GET INVOLVED, ASK QUESTIONS and HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM. The survival of your members drum corps depends on it. I hope for these members and staff that things work out for the rest of the season. They are a good bunch and it will be a shame to see them fail to continue. Good luck in your efforts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crassissimo Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 (edited) Aside - Didn't the Oregon Crusaders do this same type of thing last year? They left on tour without the money to finish it or something to that matter? I guess it worked out for them, but how can this type of decision possibly seem like a good or even justifiable idea to the corps leadership? I understand that you don't want to disappoint the kids, but I think some better decision making is definitely in order for some Open Class groups. We've seen so many groups fall victim to poor financial decisions (Spartans, Patriots, ECJ, Fever to name a prominent few), how can current corps leadership continue to make risky, if not inadviseable (read: dumb) decisions? WTF???? I think they went on tour without a food truck or something along those lines because they couldn't afford to fix it. I'm sure someone can find the time to dig up the thread from last summer on that one. I'm a bit too lazy at the moment to go digging. But I quote this because I stumbled across this recent news on their homepage... http://www.oregoncrusaders.org/ Kind of a lot of money to raise by July 20th... only 12 days away. Perhaps this was just a little off the Revo topic... but it is still related. Edited July 8, 2009 by Crassissimo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 (edited) I can't believe OC is pulling this crap two years in a row!!! Leave for tour then ask for money to get all the way out there, TWO YEARS IN A ROW??? Also, a lot of the responses in this thread are thinking way too short term, and that's dangerous thinking. "Let's help these kids get to finals", sure, sounds great, let's do it. But what about next year? What's to stop Revo from doing the same thing next year? Seems to be Oregon Crusaders' business plan...I don't understand any of this. Edited July 8, 2009 by Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschooldbc Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Now, this South Texas "have and have not issue" has been the weakness within the financial program. Johnny and I have not always seen eye to eye on a lot of issues, but as the director, back then, we agreed on one thing for sure: Everyone should be afforded the opportunity to experience what most of us, on this site, have experienced. When kids could not pay, but have made a valiant effort, we would ensure they found some type of third party donations. As the program has progressed, so had it size. John's plan was always slow growth, but demand and talent can influence planning. Exactly. I was at the camp in December in the Rio Grand Valley area, and John made this point clear: this is the first time that <<any>> corps has attempted to aggressively recruit from the RGV area. There are no corps there, there are no DCI events there, and no one goes there, to recruit kids. If Revo didn't go there to recruit members, these youth probably have no opportunity to march DC. For this, John and the rest of the management deserve real credit. ========================================================== Here is what would help to resolve the problem, in my opinion. It would help if the administration would state explicitly the size of the budget deficit, and how much is really needed in additional funds, so that the tour can continue past the 18th. I suspect that the amount is significant but decreasing. If they are closing the gap on the deficit, they should be able to convince the parents to "pony up the dough". If the size of the deficit is x, and the number of parents in the organization is y, the x / y = z. I will gladly pay z, so long as I do not need to sell an internal organ. If the gap is not diminishing, then it will be really hard to explain to the parents who have already contributed, that they need to contribute more. I see no reason why the Revo management can't give out this information. No, they should not release the names of kids who have not paid - that would be bad. But they should release an overall statement of the corps' financial status, as well as what is needed for the remaining tour's budget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magonigal Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 (edited) Exactly. I was at the camp in December in the Rio Grand Valley area, and John made this point clear: this is the first time that <<any>> corps has attempted to aggressively recruit from the RGV area. There are no corps there, there are no DCI events there, and no one goes there, to recruit kids. If Revo didn't go there to recruit members, these youth probably have no opportunity to march DC. For this, John and the rest of the management deserve real credit. ========================================================== That is incorrect. Please check youR facts. Edited July 8, 2009 by magonigal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueCavie Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Thanks everyone for your inputs. Things ARE looking up from what I'm hearing. Revo has a business plan in place. It just has to be followed. Sometimes people's hearts are bigger than their wallets/checking accounts. Good things are coming! If they succeed in gaining the necessary funding, I'm considering flying to Indy to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Hope to see ya'll there!!! The gap is closing. Keep it coming. Much love, Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldschooldbc Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 That is incorrect. Please check youR facts. I checked my facts. 1) There are certainly no DCI corps in the Rio Grande Valley. All the DCI corps in Texas are in the DFW metroxplex, or San Antonio. 2) I see no DCI events anywhere in the Rio Grande Valley. See the event map: http://www.dci.org/schedule/map/map.cfm The closest event is the San Antonio regional. San Antonio is 4 1/2 hours from Brownsville. That's like driving from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh. So San Antonio is not in the RGV - nor is its DCI show. 3) Neither of the other 2 DCI corps in Texas recruit in the RGV. All of the Crossmen's camps are in San Antonio: http://www.crossmen.org/page114243.html?linkfrom=12195524 And all of Memphis Sound's camps were in the DFW area: http://www.memphisdrumcorps.org/forums/index.php?board=11.0 So no one else is holding camps or shows there, to recruit members. I seriously doubt if any out-of-state corps are recruiting there; if they come to Texas, they typically come to Houston or the Metroplex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWonka Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Mystikal held a bunch of camps down there. McAllen, Brownsville, Alamo some where down there. I think they did a bunch of recruiting down there. That's probably what he is referring too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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