Crossroads
of
America
Scout Band
Newsletter

 
 

AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2003


Band Picnic August 17

The band's annual picnic and "unofficial" kickoff of the new season will be Sunday, August 17 at Camp Belzer's Center for Volunteer Training. The band will furnish meat, buns and drink -- you are asked to bring one or two side dishes (salads, vegetables, desserts) and your own tableware.

We will gather at 2:00 P.M. and want to start the day's activities by 2:30 so we can get everyone home early. During the picnic we will hold the annual Belzer Band Booster Club (BBBC) elections, Crew 559 will elect their new youth leadership for the year, the youth will have an auction (using their band bucks) with the highlight being the auctioning of an all expense paid 2004 tour! In addition, back by popular demand will be the band's Cake Auction. This has been a fun event in the past, and helps with the band's general fund for routine expenses. Bring your cash and checkbook -- and YES DOUG, there WILL be a carrot cake that will be put on the auction block!

At the close of the business meeting and auction, youth and adult awards for band participation will be presented and the awards will culminate with the presentation of the Good Scout Award presented to an adult by the youth's membership; the Harvey U. Gill Award to an outstanding youth member, and the F.O. Belzer Award to an outstanding adult member.

Those who would like to serve on the BBBC Board are encouraged to contact Nona Miller, Nominating Chair to make your intentions known.

Let's kick the year off right and have a BIG showing at the picnic -- all family members (aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas) are invited to join us on the 17th. See you all Sunday!

Band to Perform August 16

The band has been asked to participate in the ceremonies for President Harrison's birthday on August 16. We have provided this service for the last several years, and the Crown Hill Foundation looks forward to us returning this year.

The ceremony will take place at the gravesite of President Harrison which is located in Crown Hill Cemetery. If you enter either the 38thStreet or 34th Street entrance -- follow the white / yellow road markings to the memorial. The grave is located south of 38th Street -- watch for the band truck.

Report time is 8:20 A.M.. We will play from 9:00 - 9:30 A.M.. There is a short program after we play and we should be done by 10:00 or 10:30. We need to make sure that we have a "respectable" band to do this performance so, please try and make this event. (Sorry for the short notice!)

Any questions, call Mr. Bill
 

First Rehearsal Sunday, September 7

The first rehearsal of the "new" year will be Sunday, September 7 at Warren Central High School's Orchestra Room. Access to the Orchestra Room will be the south door off 16th Street. (18thStreet was closed last week while they are preparing the new parking lots.)

There will be a Crew 559 meeting at 1:00 P.M. to discuss the upcoming year's activities. The rehearsal will start at 2:00 P.M. and conclude at 3:45 P.M.. Even if you haven't been around for a while, or you've been fighting the grind of marching season, come on by and relax and have fun getting acquainted or reacquainted with the Scout Band! Alumni are ALWAYS welcome to come by and sit in!

Dome Events Have Started

We Need YOUR Help

The new 2003 - 2004 "Dome" season has started and we will need your help! We are in Booth 142 and need to have at least 12 people for each event. If we do not have the 12 people, the dome will be placing "temps" in our booth and their salary is taken out of our profits. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE THAT DONE! We have to have at least six licensed people to work the front line when there are beer sales. We had 19 people signed up for the Drum and Bugle Corps event -- knowing that some would be working only part time -- BUT only 10 people showed up -- leaving us with 8 in the booth for the entire event!

Also new this year, when beer is being sold no youth are permitted to be on the front line -- even to pour soft drinks. Uniform remains the same, white collared shirt, black pants (no jeans or sweat pants) and closed toe shoes.

The BBBC recently approved the direct payment of funds to an individual (once we receive the money from the dome) instead of being placed in a personal account. This is to benefit those who probably will not participate in band tours or other outings, but would like to help the band out and put a little extra money in their pocket at the same time. The minimum pay for an event is $25.00 -- for day long activities the pay is based on the number of hours worked in the booth. Those planning to participate in band activities or want to "bank" their money for other scout related activities can maintain their "personal account" as we have done for a number of years. You will receive a quarterly statement reflecting the status of your account with the band.

Check-in procedures are a little new this year. You still enter the "employee" entrance of the dome (just behind the steps leading up to Gate 1 on Capitol Avenue.). Before entering you must show a photo ID to the uniformed officers (any bags or purses will be checked). When you go into the building, you will report to the table for "Centerplate" workers and again show ID and fill in the appropriate form and receive a wrist band. You can then proceed to Booth 142.

Upcoming dates are: August 15 and 29 (pre-season games both on Friday night and starting at 7 PM -- report time is 3:30 PM); September 14 and 21 (Sundays at 12 Noon -- report time is 8:30 AM); October 4 -- Circle City Classic; October 12 Colts game; October 25 -- State Band Finals (an all day event); October 26 -- 4 PM Colts game; November 15 -- Bands of America Finals (an all day event); November 16 -- Colts game 4 PM; November 22 -- Thunder Drags; November 30 -- Colts game 1 PM; December 14 -- Colts game 1 PM; December 20 -- IU vs Kentucky basketball; December 21 -- Colts game 8:30 PM; January 24, 2004 -- Monster Truck Jam; March 20, 2004 -- Supercross.

Call Shirley Wiker for more information, or to sign up to work any or all of the events. Anyone over the age of 16 is permitted to work the booth. A schedule will be available at the picnic and rehearsals for you to reference dates and times.

Crew Meetings / Dixieland Rehearsals

At the last BBBC Board meeting the timing and scheduling of Crew 559 meetings as well as Dixieland Band rehearsals was discussed at length. Trying to rotate weeks with different start times did not work as well as we hoped this last year. So -- we want to try and coordinate all the different things we attempt to do on Sundays and make it easier for YOU to remember what is happening each week.

Starting October 5th we will start the following schedule. On the FIRST SUNDAY of EVERY MONTH we will have a Crew 559 meeting at 1:00 PM in the Orchestra Room which will adjourn by 1:45 PM. At 1:45 PM the Dixieland will hold a 45 minute rehearsal to end at 2:30 PM. The full band will then rehearse from 2:30 - 3:45 PM (or this could be the day designated to work as sections on specific pieces).

Looking at the calendar for 2003 - 2004, the first Sunday does not have any Colts games scheduled, nor are there any holidays -- which makes designating the first Sunday of each month the logical choice to conduct these other activities of the band. Hopefully this will eliminate the instances when someone shows up for Dixieland only to find out the rehearsal was the week before, or not until next week, or you come in at the end of the Crew meeting because you forgot that was the Sunday it was being held.

The remainder of the Sundays in each month, the FULL band will rehearse from 2:00 PM to 3:45 PM -- we ask that you ALL try and be prompt so we can start and end on time.
 

2003 Teton Tour with SNOW

We are trying to verify -- but we feel confident that the 2003 Teton Yellowstone Tour is the FIRST band tour that encountered SNOW! Not just once, but THREE TIMES -- on our way into Casper, Wyoming; in the Tetons and finally our drive from Camp Buffalo near Cody Wyoming to Buffalo, Wyoming where two inches had fallen during the day and still falling as we traveled to Buffalo! We did look a little funny in our shorts at one gas stop where everyone else was bundled up in heavy clothing! When we arrived at Grand Teton National Park we changed the "Class B" uniform to our LONG scout pants and the tour shirt (good thing since it was 26 when we woke up that morning -- but did achieve a high of 35!

Seriously, we had a great time and enjoyed the wonderful sights the west has to offer. We managed to take a few side trips that weren't on the itinerary -- Historic Trails Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa; Fort Laramie, Wyoming and several areas in Yellowstone National Park. We did see many elk, bison, pronghorn, deer and prairie dogs!

Concerts were enjoyed at three scout camps and the highlight concert, at the Amphitheater at Mount Rushmore National Monument just prior to the evening lighting ceremony. And you never know who you might run in to along the way -- at our first concert at Camp Mitigwa outside of Ames, Iowa a Scout Leader came running over and said he couldn't believe his eyes -- was this REALLY the Scout Band from Indianapolis? We assured him it was and he related how he had been a member of the band in the 70's and how much the band had influenced his future! Of course we had an extra trombone on the truck -- soooooo -- Steve Douglas, Alumni of the band, sat in with us at our concert at Camp Mitigwa. Thanks Steve -- we look forward to you dropping by some Sunday back here in Indy!

Thanks to everyone who was a part of this year's tour -- YOU made it an enjoyable experience and we look forward to you joining us in 2004! For those who weren't able to join us -- we missed you -- and hopefully you will start planning NOW to join us as we plan our 2004 tour to TEXAS! Applications will be available at the picnic and at rehearsals.

Be sure and check the website (www.scoutband.com) for some great pictures!

Red Hawk Camporee

The band will be participating in the council-wide Red Hawk Camporee September 25 - 26 - 27 at Johnson County Park. We know that many band members will already be registered and camping with their units -- and that is as it should be. BUT -- be sure and bring your instrument so you can sit in with us when we perform. The truck will be located near the display area and you can "store" your instrument there. Those that don't have a unit to register with and would like to camp out for the weekend, or come for the day on Saturday, please call Bob Wiker to sign up. We must get our registration in by the end of August -- so don't delay.

The band will have a display set up across from the arena area of the park. If you would like to help "staff" the display to answer questions, encourage new members to join -- let Bob know. We have been asked to provide music for the Opening Ceremony on Friday evening -- this will be at the arena around 10:00 PM. There is also possibility of us performing during the day outside the display tent and prior to the Saturday evening show. We need to know how many playing members will be available at this event. Over 4,000 people have already registered for this special event.

2004 Tour Announced

As we headed back to Camp Belzer from the 2003 tour -- the 2004 tour was announced -- and already there are 10 applications submitted.

We will be headed to the Lone Star State -- TEXAS! The tour dates are set for July 10 - 17, 2004 with a cost of $550.00. Get your application in as soon as possible -- we are working on having a bus for this tour so there will be a limit on the number of participants.

Tentative route will take us to Memphis, Tennessee; Shreveport, Louisiana; Dallas, San Antonio, Galveston, Texas; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama and then back home!

Kudos for the Month

Tom O'Nan for doing a great job with the webpage during tour!

John Valdez who was awarded Minisino rank at Mid-Summer Ritual

Mike Carpenter, Deb Estes, Debbie Wheat and Bob Wiker who did a great job driving on this year's tour and ensuring a safe trip for all!

August Dates

10 Crew 559 Canoe Trip -- Call Buddy McLaren or Bob Wiker for information

15 COLTS Preseason Game -- report time 3:30 PM Call Shirley Wiker  if you can work

16 Concert at President Harrison's Grave -- Crown Hill Cemetery -- report by 8:20 A.M.

17 2: 00 PM Band Annual Picnic // BBBC Elections // Cake Auction // Awards Presented -- Gyro Club Dining Room in the Center for Volunteer Training at Camp Belzer

27 7 PM BBBC Board Meeting

Schofield's House

29 COLTS Preseason Game -- report time 3:30 PM Call Shirley Wiker  if you can work
 

September Dates

7 1:00 PM Crew 559 Meeting

2:00 PM Full Band Rehearsal

WCHS Orchestra Room

14 2:00 PM Full Band Rehearsal

WCHS Orchestra Room

14 COLTS Home Opener -- Report time 8:30 AM Call Shirley  to work

21 2:00 PM Full Band Rehearsal

WCHS Orchestra Room

21 COLTS GAME -- Report Time 8:30 AM -- Call Shirley to work

24 7 PM BBBC Board Meeting

Schofield's House

26-28 RED HAWK CAMPOREE at Johnson County Park -- see article -- band will be performing at this event!

28 NO REHEARSAL
 

October 4 - Circle City Classic at DOME

October 5 - Crew Meeting 1 PM / Dixieland 1:45 / Full Band Rehearsal 2:30