$$$Help Save Drum Corps$$$

[BlueStarsWebmaster]

Say, I wanted to donate to a corps, which I do, Do I just send the check to their main address on the DCI.org page? Or is there a better place to send it.

I think most corps would prefer a check mailed to their office. Many corps also take online donations. Here's an example:http://www.bluestars.org/support/donate.php

[dcisupporter]

Say, I wanted to donate to a corps, which I do, Do I just send the check to their main address on the DCI.org page? Or is there a better place to send it.

When I contacted my alum corps to send in some money they said that i could simply mail it to the corps office on the dci page and in the envelope just attach a note that said donation or something of that nature. I think you can even request a receipt for your tax records.

I hope everyone enjoys the 2006 season, I know I am. I have a 10 hour drive to finals, but its worth it.

I understand that people get upset that DCI is changing and evolving, but doesn't everything; lifeforms, technology...? Why can't we appreciate it for what it is and not for what it used to be. I mean don't get me wrong, i love to watch the shows from the past. However, I dont see anyone complaining because there is a person marching with 5 drums attached to their waste... "back in my day we only needed one." Nostalgia is great, but dont make the kids of today feel inferior because drum corps is not like it used to be.

Take care all and remember that every little bit helps,

dcisupporter

[zackiedude]

At Scouts we'll probably be practicing on a concrete parking lot with some trees backfield and sleeping on a church floor for everydays instead of on a college campus with 3 fields, dorms, and a cafeteria. Dues and fundraising requirements for individuals were also increased this year.

If corps don't entertain, no one comes to shows. You may say that you don't need props to entertain, but personally I get really bored watching the same thing over and over. Maybe it's not what entertains you, but overall its what sells tickets. And honestly, a wooden door with some paint probably costs less than half of tank of gas for one bus.

Finally, most percussion, brass, electronic and guard equipment is given to or sold at an EXTREMELY low rate to most corps. Which reminds me of another change that's happened over the years I've marched at Scouts, volunteers sew everything that the guard ever wears or spins instead of buying it from distributors.

It's not like administrations are just needlessly spending money. They're doing everything in their power to cut back and make sure corps survive. And personally, I would feel unjustified in not allowing a new generation to experience the great things I've experienced in drum corps. I may have given blood, sweat, tears, and money to march, but it's because of the legacy beforehand that gave me the change to do this. I want to make that legacy continue and will give financially to do so.

Edited May 2, 2006 by zackiedude

[gottalovit]

I hope that everyone will donate to the corps. I do agree that sometimes corps don't have the best sense of priorities. One example is the corps I volunteered with folded after the 96 season. Luckily we came back for a year in 2001. We had marched around 118 in 96, and when we came back, we marched around 35 members. We had a full set of uniforms from 96, and with some small amount of alterations, we could have easily created 27 or 28 uniforms for the brass and percussion from the old ones. Unfortunately the new corps director decided to order new uniforms for the corps. And while I don't know the exact cost of the new uniforms, I definitely think we could have used the funds for better purposes.

I definitely think the board of directors need to really look ahead to the next years budget even, and with lots of donations from us, hopefully can keep all of our favorite corps operable for many years to come. The prices of gas and other expenses are never stable, and we all feel the disappointment when we lose a corps, or show that is close to us. So spend all you can afford at the souvie booths.

And if you feel that funds are misappropriated, talk to the corps director, or the souvie booth people, and you might find out something you weren't aware of. Also feel free to give suggestions, as most corps directors and souvie staff realize there is a business end to it, and most intelligent business people are always willing to take time to appreciate a good suggestion/idea when they hear it.

[JCSeymour]

Is it wrong to ask that a recipient of a donation of mine or anyone elses,be finacially responsible?

And before you jump.

I do donate every year,and have helped sponsor several people,since 1980.

To me it's a no brainer.

New unis/flags/horns ect. or getting on the road?

If you don't have the money to put gas in your tanks you aint getting down the road to wear/play.... them new unis,horns.

Maybe the flags can last another year,maybe we can wear the same unis one more year.

Not all corps get fantastic deals when obtaining their equipment. And even the ones that do have to shell out some kind of cash.

Edited May 2, 2006 by JCSeymour

[The Oz]

Responding to several posts:

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I get frosted when I buy a ticket to an event and end up on a mailing list. Not a mailing list offering tickets to other events, but a mailing list where a guard member sends me a “personal” letter citing the costs of running the corps and asking for a donation. That is “begging”. And I get the letters when petroleum prices are not at record highs. If it’s not diesel fuel, it’s something else.

Ignoring them doesn’t work. It took years before I “aged out” from the mailing list.

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I guess I never saw drum corps in the same light as Catholic Charities or the Red Cross. I am a thirty-year member of a national search and rescue organization. If a plague hits your town, I’m more likely to be on the scene than a drum corps. And I won’t be carrying a tip jar.

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I believe some corps are fiscally responsible. But there are few signs that the “biggest and best” corps have any interest in containing costs.

Let ‘s look at two of today’s most successful “entertainment” organizations – the NFL and NASCAR. It’s all about cost control and parity. The NFL has a hard salary cap. The most successful franchise is obsessed with its roster costs. NASCAR rigidly controls technology. A single-car team finished 10th this weekend.

I don’t see the “controls” in drum corps. I see the biggest and best moving steadily towards the “no limits” structure promulgated by one of its leading personalities a few years ago. Only a very few corps can keep up with that level of spending.

Cost control is needed to keep the activity viable for those not of the elite.

When I marched we pretty much funded ourselves. Contest fees were based on placing. We marched in parades all summer, through the fall, and in the spring. We had fundraisers. We paid dues. The Legion Post we were affiliated with kicked in some money. (We carried their flag.) Donations were always welcome. But they were not a big part of the income stream.

And we rode leased buses. Licensed and inspected. We budgeted for such.

Bill Cook had four “rules” for starting a drum corps. One is particularly relevant:

“Never go in debt and stay within budget,”

Mr. Cook also said, “ Find a continuing source of income outside of drum corps such as bingo or sponsorship.” I find it difficult to understand the financial model where the activity cannot support itself from the funds generated from the activity. To me that is living outside your budget.

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I agree with ScribeToo – donating to DCI is not the same as donating to a corps. If you’re going to donate, donate directly to a corps.

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I’ve written before that “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." Yes, I’m pretty sure, but can’t prove, that the elite corps get very good deals on equipment. That is cost management. For that elite corps. But how does that help to keep a DII corps solvent?

If you think props and new uniforms sell tickets, well, I simply don’t agree. What they DO sell is props and new uniforms.

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Mr. Seymour is correct – The fuel or flags choice should be a no-brainer.

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This is not a rant to return to the “good old days”. This is a rant to manage the cost of sustaining a competitive drum corps.

Edited May 2, 2006 by The Oz

[ScribeToo]

Mr. Seymour is correct – The fuel or flags choice should be a no-brainer

Actually, I think this comparison is completely invalid.

Things like flags and uniforms need replacing for any number of reasons -- and before YOU jump, know that I'm not referring to color or design changes for the sake of color or design changes.. I'm talking about uniforms and flags used each year and *used up* each year. And I've been a seamstress for drum corps and theater groups so what I'm about to say comes from first hand experience, not supposition.

Like a bus or a tractor, uniforms and flags need maintenance. Unfortunately, fabric is relatively less sturdy than steel or rubber and tends to break down with repeated and extreme use, frequent washing (or frequent sweating in or on), exposure to elements and frequent alterations. Even with proper care, other issues come up that you have to deal with.

For example, the corps I work with had been wearing the same corps uniform since the early 90s. When I started working with them, they had JUST replaced those uniforms with newer ones. When you buy them, you have to buy a range of sizes and lengths and hope that you have what you need when the kids start to get fitted. Over the time I was on the sewing crew, it became clear that each year we needed more and more size 40s. It just seemed like the whole corps was wearing one size.. but we had everything from 28s to 56s and certainly not enough 40s. And for those of you who've never sat in front of a sewing machine for 4 or more hours straight, it's virtually impossible to take a 56 in to 40 and have it still look "normal." Voila.. instant uniform crisis. Does that mean they didn't balance their budget? Does that mean they didn't manage their expenses? No. It means they need more size 40s to fit the kids in the corps.. an expense they weren't expecting and had to find a way to finance. For the record, since the "days of wine and 40s", that same corps has returned to a more diverse size population.. and have had to readjust their stock of uniforms again. Again, not the result of poor management or planning, it's just something that happens.

With flags, I don't know how many of you guys ever sewed a flag, but the fabric they use is even more delicate than uniform fabric. It's lighter and designed for balance and impact. MOST corps -- if you ever went to a rehearsal field on a sunny summer afternoon -- are using practice silks during the day at rehearsal .. and show silks at night.. to try and preserve them. Show silks are handled with kid gloves because they are expensive and often difficult to replace or duplicate on the road.

With regard to guard uniforms and the show silks, what you guys fail to realize is that the costs of those changes every year is defrayed substantially by the SALE of those same uniforms and show silks to (guess who...) marching bands. When you see a corps come out with a new guard uniform every year, I assure you most of those corps are not storing or keeping those uniforms. They are sold to a high school somewhere for a good price and that money that's made is poured directly back into the colorguard budget for the following year.

Sorry for the lengthy rant but this is a perfect example of how people who aren't involved really have no idea the steps that ARE taken to defray costs of things you might consider "frivolous" but in the activity today are really considered necessary.

Presuming a corps that buys new uniforms or changes a flag or a guard outfit on a relatively frequent basis is a corps that's irresponsible financially SIMPLY because they are also soliciting donations (something they've ALWAYS done, by the way, whether they were buying uniforms or not), is completely off base.

If you were around it a little more recently, you might know this stuff, too.

Stef

Edited May 2, 2006 by ScribeToo

[JCSeymour]

Steph how dare you say I aint involved. or haven't been involved.

I helped run a corps before you ever knew what a corps was.I know what getting by on a shoestring is today and was years ago.

And yes I have spent time on a sewing machine blah blah blah..

My answer is completely valid.

If you can get by with what you have you get by.

You do not put yourself in deep finacial debt trying to keep up with the big boys.And you don't getnew toys just for the sake of getting new toys.Things wear out,and when they do replace them,that's a gimme.

And you cannot tell me there are not corps out there that have killed themselves spending unwisely.That is what I base my answer on.

My hat is off to all the volunteers in drum corps. And I know that in each and every corps fundraising is life support.

But if I am being asked to donate then I want my money to used wisely. and that's is all I ask,or in this case posted.

[JimF-LowBari]

Is it wrong to ask that a recipient of a donation of mine or anyone elses,be finacially responsible?

Years ago the United Way in my area started listing what percentage of a Charities $$$ goes to "Administrative Expenses" and the crap hit the fan big time. A lot of charities that had a noble sounding cause also had admin expenses at 80+%. Nexxt year a bunch of them didn't participate in UW because they didn't want to list the percentage.

Is it wrong JC?? ####, #### and #### NO it ain't wrong. It being responsible to your wallet and ALSO the organization asking for the $$$$.

And in case anyone wonders, I donate DC wise but only to groups or individuals I have checked out fairly well.

Edited May 2, 2006 by JimF-xWSMBari

[ScribeToo]

Steph how dare you say I aint involved. or haven't been involved.

I helped run a corps before you ever knew what a corps was.I know what getting by on a shoestring is today and was years ago.

And yes I have spent time on a sewing machine blah blah blah..

My answer is completely valid.

If you can get by with what you have you get by.

You do not put yourself in deep finacial debt trying to keep up with the big boys.And you don't getnew toys just for the sake of getting new toys.Things wear out,and when they do replace them,that's a gimme.

And you cannot tell me there are not corps out there that have killed themselves spending unwisely.That is what I base my answer on.

My hat is off to all the volunteers in drum corps. And I know that in each and every corps fundraising is life support.

But if I am being asked to donate then I want my money to used wisely. and that's is all I ask,or in this case posted.

Involved, more recently <...than 25 years ago, for example>

not

Involved more <..than you have been>, recently.

I never implied you weren't or hadn't been involved.. only that it's been a while and you're basing your comments on outdated information.

SteF (how long have you known me and been reading my posts that you still can't spell my name correctly?)