Richard Lesher Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 40 minutes ago, BigW said: I still remember when you and I pointed out that the US Bands Online Rulebook conveniently left the pages out involving competition fees and getting pooh-poohed by people here when we called out the lack of transparency. I'd daggone well hope BD spells all of that out now to everyone. Transparency is a foreign concept. I'm beside myself how many corps are oblivious to what that actually should be. Of course I'm coming from a corporate finance perspective as required by the Security Exchange Commission and the Sarbanes Oxley Act. As far as BD, I'm new to their culture, but I can tell you as a parent, oh lord, it seems the disclosures and my needing to sign everything never seems to come to an end. Pretty soon here I'll need to complete multiple layers of child safety training, stuff I've already done for Boy Scouts, and my employer as well. It never ends. The question is going to probably blow up on them is: Who is the employee or representative of the organization that verifies all the required training certificates are up to date and on record for each individual with face to face contact for members. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craiga Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 21 minutes ago, Richard Lesher said: Was that other Corps the Corps I harp on a lot about. I remember getting into the power structure finally and tens of thousands of dollars in donation checks were left in the main office long expired and never deposited. The person in charge of running the office couldn't be bothered to f-ing deposit money handed directly to him. I'll even go on record here as late as 2022 Wells Fargo Bank called me personally (having been the treasurer if I haven't mentioned that already as late as 2012). They wanted to talk banking issues (little did I know) regarding the corps, but I had to stop them cold from continuing the conversation. I'm not on the board anymore and they need to update their contacts. So I reached out to the CEO of the organization, and then he had the mind to tell me to contact Wells Fargo with the CFO's information. Excuse me? How about you call you're bank, and update your information, and I promise I wont simply just accept their call next time and talk about whatever it is they want to talk about on your behalf. I have repeatedly said here that drum corps fail NOT because of props, uniforms, electronics, or "dancing and prancing " but because of mismanagement. Uncashed donation checks???? Seriously? A friend who used to teach Cadets once told me how they would have somebody at one of their show sites drive through the night with cash from that gate to buy food for the corps which was at another show site. Crazy? Also, does anyone here remember the summer when Hop went online to announce they were no longer buying milk for the members because they couldn't afford it? Yikes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri Schehr Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 42 minutes ago, Richard Lesher said: Was that other Corps the Corps I harp on a lot about. I remember getting into the power structure finally and tens of thousands of dollars in donation checks were left in the main office long expired and never deposited. The person in charge of running the office couldn't be bothered to f-ing deposit money handed directly to him. I'll even go on record here as late as 2022 Wells Fargo Bank called me personally (having been the treasurer if I haven't mentioned that already as late as 2012). They wanted to talk banking issues (little did I know) regarding the corps, but I had to stop them cold from continuing the conversation. I'm not on the board anymore and they need to update their contacts. So I reached out to the CEO of the organization, and then he had the mind to tell me to contact Wells Fargo with the CFO's information. Excuse me? How about you call you're bank, and update your information, and I promise I wont simply just accept their call next time and talk about whatever it is they want to talk about on your behalf. It wasn’t Vanguard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimF-LowBari Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 40 minutes ago, Richard Lesher said: I'll even go on record here as late as 2022 Wells Fargo Bank So I reached out to the CEO of the organization, and then he had the mind to tell me to contact Wells Fargo with the CFO's information. Excuse me? How about you call you're bank, and update your information, and I promise I wont simply just accept their call next time and talk about whatever it is they want to talk about on your behalf. Talk about a culture of not taking responsibility or passing the buck immediately. And people wonder why things implode… 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri Schehr Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 29 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said: IMO not a healthy environment around that time. Few years before that my one boss had a daughter in Cadets guard. She started getting allergy or breathing issues (forget which) and had to drop out mid season. Parents go to pick her up and no one would talk to them. It was like “get your kid and get the hades out”. Later I posted about this and a member replied “well she wasn’t Cadets material anyway”. So if you have a health issue you’re not worthy. And of course one supporter said my boss was a liar. (Nope just a Marine veteran who spoke up when he saw ####. We got along fine.) 🙄 That’s just awful. Turned the poor young woman into a pariah because she was ill. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terri Schehr Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 18 minutes ago, craiga said: I have repeatedly said here that drum corps fail NOT because of props, uniforms, electronics, or "dancing and prancing " but because of mismanagement. Uncashed donation checks???? Seriously? A friend who used to teach Cadets once told me how they would have somebody at one of their show sites drive through the night with cash from that gate to buy food for the corps which was at another show site. Crazy? Also, does anyone here remember the summer when Hop went online to announce they were no longer buying milk for the members because they couldn't afford it? Yikes. I can’t remember that but I have no doubt that it’s true. The most memorable incident in my case is the Cap Regiment “Let them eat cake” in Kansas debacle. I think it was 2005. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 34 minutes ago, JimF-LowBari said: IMO not a healthy environment around that time. Few years before that my one boss had a daughter in Cadets guard. She started getting allergy or breathing issues (forget which) and had to drop out mid season. Parents go to pick her up and no one would talk to them. It was like “get your kid and get the hades out”. Later I posted about this and a member replied “well she wasn’t Cadets material anyway”. So if you have a health issue you’re not worthy. And of course one supporter said my boss was a liar. (Nope just a Marine veteran who spoke up when he saw ####. We got along fine.) 🙄 This is sad, but it's the kind of thing that not only happened with Cadets but sadly with many corps. I have heard countless stories like this from back in the day. One of the problems is when people arrive to pick up a kid (for whatever reason) it could be a day when only techs are around running sectionals or something like that. Volunteers don't know what's going on other than what they are doing for meals and other things. The techs are often not aware of official decisions to send someone home (or the reasons), or they are notified late and are really too young to know how to speak with parents and discuss the situation. Hopkins was probably out and about at some Starbucks writing his "life notes" and not tending to real matters, and the coordinators and designers may not even be with the corps at that time...or only a few are and they may be doing other things (or sleeping until the early evening ensemble run throughs). Many corps back in the day and also in the not-too-distant past have not handled these things well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 44 minutes ago, Richard Lesher said: Transparency is a foreign concept. I'm beside myself how many corps are oblivious to what that actually should be. Of course I'm coming from a corporate finance perspective as required by the Security Exchange Commission and the Sarbanes Oxley Act. As far as BD, I'm new to their culture, but I can tell you as a parent, oh lord, it seems the disclosures and my needing to sign everything never seems to come to an end. Pretty soon here I'll need to complete multiple layers of child safety training, stuff I've already done for Boy Scouts, and my employer as well. It never ends. The question is going to probably blow up on them is: Who is the employee or representative of the organization that verifies all the required training certificates are up to date and on record for each individual with face to face contact for members. I believe you'd need a full-time compliance officer for things like that, wouldn't you? Where I work, there's a lot of things like that that have to be looked after including my 18-Month re-certification for my specific job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 41 minutes ago, craiga said: I have repeatedly said here that drum corps fail NOT because of props, uniforms, electronics, or "dancing and prancing " but because of mismanagement. Uncashed donation checks???? Seriously? A friend who used to teach Cadets once told me how they would have somebody at one of their show sites drive through the night with cash from that gate to buy food for the corps which was at another show site. Crazy? Also, does anyone here remember the summer when Hop went online to announce they were no longer buying milk for the members because they couldn't afford it? Yikes. Late 70's/Early 80's Crossmen used to eat "Cookie Salad" for meals at times. Told this by college friends who marched there. They'd go to the Wal-Mart, grab several types of the large boxes of cookies, dump them in a huge bowl, mix it up, everyone got a handful. Stopping at a McDonalds for an out-of-pocket meal was a feast. there's a lot of "Good old days/Glory Days" stories out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 3 hours ago, KVG_DC said: Oh that's 100% unsightly. I mean adding judges to the solicitation list, fine, but sending one with their pay? i've seen the correspondence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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