Thursday, March 26, 2020 - A New Drum Corps Day

[garfield]

Although it would be easy to proclaim that drum corps was dispatched on this day, that's not written in stone.  There will be hundreds of people, facing withering odds, working hour after hour through turmoil and despair to save their individual corps and the activity as a whole.  Executive directors and staff, board members, volunteers, crew, and yes, even the marching members are about to throw themselves headlong at the massive problem of JUST SURVIVING, and into projects, pleas, campaigns, and car washes to gather every ounce of support and help they can get.  Answer the call!

These will be the heroes. 

The front line, boots on the ground, get it done crowd that has built lives, careers, reputations, and memories on the experience and life-lessons provided by drum corps and made possible via the hard work of someone else - will largely lead the effort today.  These will be the people we honor then, and that our children and students will honor then, in the same way that we honor those who started it in 1972 and created it to be what it is today.  It will take all of their effort and blood, and much of their money.  I will count my name among them and I hope you do, too.

This is the place to honor those heros.  If you hear of an amazing job done in the effort to save a corps, or to help save another corps from failure, or a creative or radical new effort that succeeded, or went way above an beyond in "Sounds Crazy Might Work", post those stories here.  Cooking meals for phone banks, spending summer not on vacation, but taking the family to car washes and bake sales.  Post those stories here.

Years from now, if the activity survives at all, these experiences will be teaching plans for those to come.  Let's pass along those experiences as if the activity actually learned from them, and let's honor the leaders, teachers, volunteers and members who will carry the message forward.

Please, join in, volunteer, make the call, send the email and make the magic happen.  And when you hear of great and inspiring efforts both menial and headline, post them here.

 

 

 

(And please, leave the snark and attacks for other threads.)

Edited March 26, 2020 by garfield

[garfield]

I, personally, believe this is when human beings are at their best and I can't wait to read the inspiring stories you will tell as this effort unfolds.

I have been privileged to witness official meetings of a corps BoD and I have seen the crushing looks on their faces (via amazing video-conference software!) yet hear the determination in their voices.  They've faced incredible decisions in the last 10 days that include ACTUALLY surviving the coronavirus and, at the same time, saving their beloved drum corps.  These folks signed their names to the line and put their volunteer efforts on the table in the most important of ways - with their honor.  Gosh, the stress.

A good friend of mine told me a story of a top-5 drum corps leader who, upon having the keys handed to him, was told "Don't F--- it up!".  My GOSH, the STRESS - for their corps and for the activity they lead.

I want to simply honor these Board members and volunteers for bearing under this decision and placing yourself directly in the seats of responsibility.  Your guidance, your leadership, your decision-making, your "brotherhood", and your willingness to commit your blood, money, and honor is truly inspiring.

It is that which we teach those in our care.

Thank you, drum corps' leadership.  You've earned my trust. 

Edited March 26, 2020 by garfield

[HockeyDad]

So - tour is cancelled?  

[Jeff Ream]

Pretty much in every way but a press release 

[HockeyDad]

7 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

Pretty much in every way but a press release 

Got it. Thanks. For the info, that is, not that the tour is cancelled.  

[Poppycock]

Became a little contentious at times but the correct decision was made. 

[rpbobcat]

2 minutes ago, Poppycock said:

Became a little contentious at times but the correct decision was made. 

Not asking for details.

(Unless you'd like to provide them of course    :-)  )

But are you saying 1 or more people weren't in favor of  canceling  the season ?

 

[Jeff Ream]

26 minutes ago, rpbobcat said:

Not asking for details.

(Unless you'd like to provide them of course   🙂  )

But are you saying 1 or more people weren't in favor of  canceling  the season ?

 

Some favor waiting, but let’s be honest there’s no way it could happen 

[IllianaLancerContra]

22 minutes ago, Jeff Ream said:

Some favor waiting, but let’s be honest there’s no way it could happen 

Like I have said - get bad news out as soon as possible - it never gets better with age.

[Poppycock]

47 minutes ago, rpbobcat said:

Not asking for details.

(Unless you'd like to provide them of course   🙂  )

But are you saying 1 or more people weren't in favor of  canceling  the season ?

 

Some didn't keep their emotions in check and didn't manage those moments very well when they did disagreed. Conference calls are far less often provoked by actual content than they are by perceived intent.