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Text Box: Parents we are there for our own children and for every kid that puts in all the hard work that it takes to represent Maumee. That is what the Maumee Marching Pride does, represents the pride that we have in our community, and the commitment to the schools. Having served on MBPO executive board twice, I have not only been on the sidelines, but also behind the scenes. It would take the whole page to list the many ways that parents and students are involved with the band program, it goes beyond the performances and the practices, to the many hours of volunteer efforts. The results of the efforts is the funding of the MBPO budget, for which the parents work to raise at least $50,000 each year in support of the program. In the process of things, we make new friends, lookout for each

Text Box: other, and have fun! MBPO focuses its fund raising efforts in the area of service. Parking cars, trash detail, and all the concessions at the high school sporting events; are examples of the services we do. Yes, we do some sales, but they are limited to the traditional Fruit & Candle, Entertainment Books, and the Script program. The school administration prefers that MBPO does not add to our sales list, so service in the community describes the fund raising activities that every band parent should be looking for the help complete the budget. Finding the opportunity is only the first step, we need the volunteers to organize and provide the service, that’s true challenge. Bottom line: volunteer and have fun, “It’s all for the kids!” ~ Rick Secondo

Text Box: Chaperoning, Pit Crew, Fair & Rib Off parking, Uniform fitting, Spirit Committee, Phone Tree, Chicken Bar-B-Que, Music In Motion, Entertainment Books, Fruit/Candle Sale, Lock-In, Concessions and more Concessions of all kind! During this past year, you might have been asked to help for volunteering one of these areas out of many. In all, the volunteer hours that it takes to make the Maumee Band program operate are around 9,000 hours per year. If you break that down so that each band family worked their share of volunteer hours, it

Text Box: would equal around 90 hours per family. So you can see how important it is for all band members and families to try to do their fair share of hours. Most of the volunteer hours can be done by the student, but the band needs the parents help and support also. It has come up in the executive board meetings that the band may be coming to “A” point in time when it may be necessary to set the fees for band to include that each band family must work their 90 to 100 hours or be charged a set fee of around $5.00 for each hour not worked (equaling up to $500). At the present time this has been tabled until

Text Box: further discussions can be held. We (the board) do not want to see higher fees and volunteer hours forced onto band members. But at the same time, we see first hand how hard it is to get volunteers, unless they are receiving some sort of an incentive to participate. So when you’re asked to volunteer for the band, please take time to listen and help out in anyway you can. Thank you for your complete understanding and support of the program. Jim Ward

Text Box: A lot can happen in four years and it goes by so fast! As my daughter’s senior year winds down, it makes me reflect on my experience as a band parent. It has been a learning experience every step of the way, from building props, pushing instruments, to pulling the trailers; it has been a fun time. Some say you can stay home and watch it on TV, but the fact is the band is rarely on TV, except for a Friday night local sports news, or the need for a satellite dish to see the Chicago State Street Thanksgiving Day parade, or National Cherry Blossom parade in Washington DC, it is much better in person, and better yet on the sidelines! Band Parents come in many forms, they change every year, but the bottom line is that they are parents. “It’s all for the kids!” As Band