A communication of the Lakota West Upbeat Club
This Week in Band covers:
- congratulations on Toledo BOA Finals Placement and thanks for volunteer and crowd support,
- Tag Day contest results,
- this Friday’s Home Game vs. Oak Hills,
- this Saturday’s Kettering Classic marching band competition,
- Lakota West Bands Business Boosters,
- Uno’s Doughraiser tickets,
- Pattyburger fundraiser,
- spiritwear orders,
- Kroger Community Rewards,
- Swing Dance Co-Chair need,
- this week’s schedule and
- next week’s schedule-at-a-glance.
Congratulations on BOA Finals Placement and Thanks for Volunteer and Crowd Support
On Saturday, October 1, the Marching Firebirds participated in a Bands of America Regional Championship for the first time in more than 10 years. The event was the most competitive circumstance for our band in the history of Lakota West High School, and the Marching Firebirds’ debut placement was the talk of the competition. Going up against 21 other bands from Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan, the Marching Firebirds placed sixth overall, and tied for second in music. Of the nine Bands of America regional competitions already held this fall involving 191 bands from 15 states, the Marching Firebirds earned the 22nd highest overall score and the 17th highest score in music.
We are especially grateful for the many volunteers who chaperoned and/or served on Pit Crew. On Saturday many of them went for almost 24 hours with no sleep, logged 20,000+ steps on their pedometers and loaded and unloaded the truck four times. Phew!
We are also thankful for the many parents who drove to Toledo to cheer for the Marching Firebirds from the stands. It was a special experience, and our band members appreciated your support!
Tag Day ConTest Results
As the marching band section with the highest participation percentage in Tag Day, Color Guard was honored with a pizza party. Congratulations, Color Guard, and thanks for your support of our fundraising efforts!
Home Game vs. Oak Hills This Friday
For the home game this Friday, Marching Firebirds should report to the LWHS Theater in full uniform by 5:30pm. Because Main Street will be in use for setup of the Train Show, Marching Firebirds will line up outside the Band Room at 6:15pm for their march to the stadium. The band will perform its pre-game show around 6:40pm, and its full competition show during halftime around 8 or 8:30pm.
Color Guard and baritones, you supply our third quarter refreshments: two 2-liter bottles of clear soda or lemonade and two full-sized packaged of cookies: Click here for guidelines.
Kettering Classic Marching Band Competition
This Saturday the Marching Firebirds take their competition show to nearby Kettering Fairmont High School for the Kettering Classic. Marching band members report to Ridge Jr. School for pre-competition rehearsal from 1:30 to 5pm. Families are invited to tailgate in the Ridge Jr. Parking lot at 5pm, and at 6pm the band will depart for Kettering on school buses. The band’s performance time is 8:45pm, and the Awards Presentation is at 10pm. We tentatively expect buses to be at Ridge Jr. At 10:50pm for marching band members whose cars are parked there, and at 10:55pm at LWHS.
Parents, because the drive to Kettering is fairly brief, we hope to see you in the stands cheering for the band. The stadium address is 3301 Shroyer Road, Kettering, OH. There’s plenty of parking on nearby streets and lots, and admission is $7/adults and $5/students and seniors.
Do You Own or Operate a Business?
We invite you to join the Lakota West Bands Business Boosters (LWBBB). The group meets at 8am the third Thursday of each month at the Union Centre Blvd. First Watch. RSVP to Kevin Moorman via text: 513-604-2997 to attend the October 20th meeting.
Fourth Annual Uno’s Doughraiser is Sunday, November 6
Our next fundraiser the Uno’s Doughraiser on Sunday, November 6, at the West Chester Uno’s. The owners generously let us run their restaurant for a day and keep the profits. We’ll soon be calling on you to help with everything from prepping food in the kitchen to waiting on tables. It’s an all-hands-on-deck effort of our parents and students, and the good news is that it’s fun. You can help now by buying your tickets and encouraging your family, friends and neighbors to buy tickets online now: tell them to enter your name and section in the space provided on the online checkout form.
In order for us to meet our fundraising goal, we expect that each band family will purchase or influence the sale of at least six tickets. To help everyone get in the spirit, we’ll be giving away gift cards to our top student salespersons:
- The top two student salespersons as of midnight October 14 will get their choice of either a Taco Bell or Starbucks gift card.
- The top five student salespersons in each section (grades 9-12) as of midnight October 21 will be entered in a drawing for 10 gift cards. The gift cards include Kings Island, American Eagle, Liberty Center and Uno’s.
- The top 20 student salespersons as of midnight November 3 will be entered in a drawing for the remaining gift cards, which include Liberty Center, Pattyburger and iTunes. These students get one entry in the drawing per sale associated with their name (e.g., 10 ticket sales = 10 entries in the drawing).
Pattyburger Fundraiser
You Can Still Order Spiritwear!
NEED FRESHMAN OR SOPHOMORE PARENT TO VOLUNTEER TO COORDINATE NEXT YEAR
If you already placed an order, it will be available at Silvers (Thursday evening rehearsals) as soon as it is delivered to our Spiritwear coordinator. If you’re able to come to Silvers, your teen can check immediately after Silvers practice; alternatively, you can email Rachel Butler to see if your order is in. If you have not placed an order, please do as soon as possible to be included in our next bulk order with our supplier. Questions? See our spirit wear shop or email spirit@lakotawestbands.org.
Also, if you’re a freshman or sophomore parent with an interest in leading the spiritwear effort next year, please contact Rachel Butler. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required.
Sign Up for Kroger Community Rewards
Check the bottom of your most recent Kroger receipt. If it says, “You requested Kroger to donate to Lakota West Upbeat Club,” great! If not, please click here to request that Kroger make donations to the Lakota West Upbeat Club. Making the donation request is quick, free and easy, and it goes a long way toward helping with our annual fundraising goal.
Also, if you have family and friends in cities as identified on the above map, please ask them to sign up for Kroger Community Rewards and request donations to Lakota West Upbeat Club.
Swing Dance Co-Chair Need
On Friday evening, December 9, Lakota West Bands will host its annual Swing Dance fundraiser. We decorate the West Side Diner (LWHS Cafeteria) to look like a Jazz Club. Refreshments are served, and our jazz bands perform throughout the evening. To top it off, we bring in a swing dance instructor for the students and, at the end of the evening, we hold a dance-off. It’s truly a can’t-miss event and, in the words of many of our students, more fun than either Homecoming or Prom. If you’re interested in co-chairing the event, please contact Cindy Merk.
This Week’s Schedule
- Wednesday, October 5: LWHS Parking Lot: Marching band rehearsal from 3 to 5:30pm
- Thursday, October 6: LWFS Stadium: Marching band rehearsal from 7 to 9pm
- Thursday, October 6: LWHS: Composite Photo Sessions (Students sign-up in band room, and photographer to send information to parents soon.)
- Friday, October 7: LWHS: Composite Photo Sessions (Student sign-up in band room, and photographer to send information to parents soon.)
- Friday, October 7: LWHS: Marching band reports to Theater at 5:30pm in full uniform; performs a pre-game show around 6:40pm and performs its full halftime show around 8-8:30pm
- Saturday, October 8: Ridge Junior School: Marching band rehearsal from 1:30 to 5pm; family tailgate from 5 to 6pm; marching band departure for Kettering at 6pm
- Saturday, October 8: Roush Stadium at Kettering Fairmont High School, 3301 Shroyer Road, Kettering, OH: Marching band performs at 8:45 and stays for Awards Ceremony at 10pm
Looking Ahead
- Monday, October 10: LWHS Stadium: Marching Band rehearsal from 7 to 9pm
- Tuesday, October 11: LWHS Theater: Fall Concert with Freshman Band and Symphonic Band performing at 7pm, and Concert Band and Symphonic Winds performing at 8pm
- Wednesday, October 12: LWHS Parking Lot: Marching band rehearsal from 3 to 5:30pm
- Thursday, October 13: LWFS Stadium: Marching band rehearsal from 7 to 9pm
- Friday, October 14: Mini Camp Day at LWFS from 2 to 5pm and 6 to 9pm
Stay in the know by subscribing to our texts and calendar; following Lakota West Bands on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr and Twitter; and regularly checking Mr. Carr’s class announcements.