While we are building up the new webpage for the upcoming
release, we will include news items on this page for easy viewing during our
construction.
PROGRAMS
FORTE: A competitive drum & bugle corps applying to
Drum Corps International for the 2010 Open Class Season. Membership in Forte is
restricted to members aged 14-21 (by June 1 2010) per DCI rules.
ENCORPS: EnCorps is a smaller ensemble of brass and percussion
musicians without an age restriction. The ensemble meets weekly to practice and
performs at various events over the course of the year. The purpose of the
ensemble is to educate and entertain the community through the drum corps medium
and assist in the support/fundraising arm of FORTE.
NEWS
** July 29th, 2010
Forte will be on our first National Tour through August 15th,
with the culmination being the DCI World Championships Open Class Finals Week.
The best way to keep up with the daily progress the remainder of the season will
be through the Fan Page on Facebook (link is
on the main page).
Wish us luck as we close out the debut season, and be sure to
check back soon for information about the 2011 Season (Auditions, Recruiting
Events, Applications for Membership and Staff, and other exciting announcements)
** July 22nd, 2010
First week on tour a smashing success! Corps debuted in
Wichita, KS and the continued on to Van Buren, AR. Check www.dci.org
for full scores and recaps.
TONIGHT - HOME SHOW - Dallas, TX (Lake Highlands HS)
Stop by Chili's after 5pm on Wednesday and show this flyer
for Forte to get between 10-20% of your meal as a donation to the corps! We will
be bringing the corps to have dinner there as well, so it's a great chance to
meet some of the amazing people marching and teaching Forte this year!
For more information, Contact our Food Services Manager, Carla
Greene at - Food@fortecorps.org
Stop by Fuddruckers after 5pm on Friday and show this flyer
for Forte to get between 10-20% of your meal as a donation to the corps! We will
be bringing the corps to have dinner there as well, so it's a great chance to
meet some of the amazing people marching and teaching Forte this year!
For more information, Contact our Food Services Manager, Carla
Greene at - Food@fortecorps.org
** July 7th, 2010
Recycle used cell phones and ink cartridges to
help Forte!
*Yes, we can even take Epson ink and LASER
printer cartridges
A few items from our wishlist that we are
still seeking, if you can help - info@fortecorps.org
1- 10 Gal. drink cooler
1- small 3500KW generator (for meal prep at show sites)
2 or 3- portable lights (electric)
4-50ft. cords
1-Drum major Podium (
we are buying a painting ladder for $300, but would rather save that money)
3-5-Nesco Cookers (these are about $40 a piece)
Several- Pneumatic tires for front ensemble (required of DCI, we will be
purchasing these by July 15th if you wish to donate – email percussion@fortecorps.org
for details)
Unlimited- Storage bins (for food transport mostly)
Unlimited- Paper products (it almost costs more to serve the corps than to
actually feed them – plates, cups, napkins, papertowels , silverware)
Unlimited- #10 Cans of veggies (a constant purchase of the corps, all donations
are appreciated!!)
Unlimited- Cute items for souvie booth (small kid flags, flip flops with purple
ribbons, patriotic stickers/pins, various music items) – these need to be new,
and can be co-branded if a small business is interested.
** July 4th, 2010
Update from the Magazine Fundraising
Campaign
Need any magazines? or gift certificates for restaraunts?
While the members are working hard in Houston, it's time for the adults,
parents, friends and supporters to gather to support the corps, and have a good
time in the process.
Tickets are $15 each (or $20 per couple) and it guarantees you a minimum of 3
drinks.
There will be door prizes, a 50/50 drawing (so bring some cash!), food, friends,
and music, contests for best margarita from our hosts and sponsors, best
margarita glass (be creative!!), Best use of Purple (the corps signature color),
and much more.
Whether you know what a drum corps is or not, it's a great excuse to get out of
the house on a Saturday night.
We will also be accepting donations for the corps (paper products, drink mix,
Number 10 cans of veggies, etc).
So invite everyone you know and let's have a blast!
Coming Soon: Houston Edition!
Must be 21 or older to attend
** June 23, 2010
Pictures from the Texas Drum Corps Preview in Austin,
TX are available on our Facebook Group.
Forte's
First Annual Capital Giving Campaign is in Full Swing:
Donate
here:
If
you would like to donate to sponsor a current member of Forte in their dues:
In an effort to fill the
remaining spots at this upcoming Camp (May 22nd - Texas and Ohio), we are
offering DOUBLE referral fees for new recruits. Which means current Forte
members now get $50 for a new recruit who auditions, and an additional $150
when they pay dues! This is good for May 22nd camp only! Details: info@fortecorps.org
The first annual CAPITAL GIVING CAMPAIGN for
Forte is launched.
Forte is a member of Overture Youth
Advocacy through the Arts and serves youth ages 14-21 from the North
Texas area and surrounding states and regions. Forte is about to
embark on it's first DCI (Drum Corps International) Tour along with
helping develop new programs in the OYAA umbrella to support its
mission. OYAA and Forte need your help! We are launching our
first Capital Giving Campaign from May 2010 - August 2010. Donations
in this first Capital Giving Campaign go directly to sustaining Forte
for the 2010 Season as well as preparing for expanded operations in
2011.
The first year goal is set at
$10,000.
Currently donations can be made via check
or money order and mailed in with the following form:
Credit Card Processing of donations will be
added by the end of May.
There are a number of items available for
branding (meaning you can ear mark your donation towards a certain
purchase and have your name, a loved one's name, or your company name
added to the item), or you may donate in any amount. No amount is too
small, and no amount is too large.
For more specifics about donation, or if
your company is interested in a Corporate/Business Sponsorship, please
contact info@fortecorps.org
Letter sent to our supporters and
fans:
Forte
is launching our first annual Capital Giving Campaign. The campaign
will run from May-August 2010 with a campaign goal of $10,000 in
donations. Forte is a brand new Drum & Bugle Corps based in Grand
Prairie, TX and is a member of Overture Youth Advocacy Through the
Arts (OYAA).Forte will be
competing in the 2010 Drum Corps International Open Class tour and has
members from all over the Southwest Region of the US (Texas,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas) as well as from around the country
(Tennessee, Mississippi, Ohio, North Carolina).Students have been traveling to camps in TX for nearly 7 months
for a chance at being a member of Forte.
Students who have been chosen range from 14 years old to 21. They are
musicians and dancers with a wide variety of life goals. Some wish to
pursue music as their career, others are studying to be Doctors,
Lawyers, Teachers, Scientists, etc.The Drum Corps experience, while focused on music and dance,
truly changes youth in a way unlike most any other activity. By the
end of tour, students have gained a strong sense of purpose, strength
to achieve goals, work ethic, community, as well as many life skills
needed for success as adults.
The Drum Corps activity changed me greatly, and it is why I have been
involved in either operating, instructing or participating in a corps
every year since 1992. I want to give back to the community a small
bit of what it has given to me.I
ask you to look into your heart and wallet and make a difference in
the future. These young adults are the best of the best in heart and
spirit. My organization seeks to help give them the confidence and
skills needed to be the best of the best in all they decide to do.
So consider my email strongly, and give what you can afford to give.Whether it is $25, or $100, whether you sponsor a Uniform
Package ($300) or a line of Instruments ($10,000), your impact will be
greatly appreciated.If
you donate in the Andante, Allegro or Vivace divisions, you may opt to
brand your donation with your name, the name of a loved one, or
utilize the marketing potential and advertise your company name and
logo on the item.
We will be launching our new webpage soon (current page is located at
fortecorps.org) and we will list those donors who participate in this
program, ensuring our success in 2010.
If you have questions about the corps, the organization, or how you
can help. Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@fortecorps.org
Please forward this to other individuals who support the arts, our
children, and our community
This form is intended to only be used by Band Directors, Winterguard, Winter
Drumline, and other Pageantry Arts ensembles that support the mission and
growth of Forte Drum & Bugle Corps of Grand Prairie, TX (DFW area). Forte
is a DCI Open Class Touring Corps. 2010 is the debut season. Forte is a member
of Overture Youth Advocacy through the Arts (OYAA).
This document will serve several purposes:
--Add Band Directors to our mailing list so they get the latest information
about Forte/OYAA
--Add Band Directors to our Poster/Marketing list for materials to post in the
band room
--Identify Band Directors that would like to host Forte for a camp, summer
tour, clinics, etc
We hope that you will spread the word about Forte and help us achieve our
goals of eventually becoming a World Class corps.
For questions about marketing materials, posters, email, or the corps, please
contact Jonathan Annis, PR Coordinator at PR@fortecorps.org
For any other questions, please contact Corps Director Chris Green - director@fortecorps.org
For 2010, the corps will be appearing in custom designed
uniforms created by Brent Becker of Stanbury. The corps will maintain
Purple as their signature color, but will be utilizing it in a much different
way.
Silver/Gray was selected as the base color of the uniform to allow the corps to
be cooler in the sun as well as provide a palette that will separate the corps
visually from other uniforms. Part of what will make this suit so unique
(in world or open class...) is the absence of black, or it's use as a simple
defining trim and not a dominant color. A second shade of purple has been
added to accentuate the ‘F’ incorporated on the front with Mylar reflective
pieces on top in Silver. The Purple pieces will be reflective and can be removed
and changed out as the show dictates
New Forte, Overture, EnCorps, Drum Corps Family Reunion,
DrumCorpsStore.com and Overture Thrifts Newsletters are launched!
** December 31, 2009
Finalized Camp Audition Schedule is now
live. One big change is we have decided to make the APRIL camp a FULL WEEKEND to
maximize time with all members from OH, TX and VA. This will also be a drill
weekend, so plan accordingly. We felt it was important to get the entire corps
together during the DCI Evaluation weekend. Details on the Auditions
Page'
Also, you still have a few weeks to get
your deposit in if you want to join fellow drum corps fans from across the
county on the first annual Drum Corps Family Reunion - CRUISE!!!
Last Snare positions, Bass Drum #5,
Cymbals, and possibly 1 keyboard position
Colorguard
3 positions (Video Tape only, Colorguard
returns to camp in April)
** February 11, 2010
February Video Assignment
for Percussion
This video is DUE on FEBRUARY 20TH. ANYTHING SUBMITTED AFTER THAT DATE
WILL AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A 50% REDUCTION FROM THE SCORE. This gives you
plenty of time to track down a means of recording the video. Please do an
electronic submission if possible. There are multiple means of sending me
the video over the internet. Contact me if you have questions about
sending in the video and/or cannot submit it electronically.
ALL battery members need to display proper technique for marking time, sticks
in, sticks out, and position of attention. You need to have a metronome
playing OUTLOUD so we can hear how your timing is on the video.
State your name and what exercise you're playing at the start of each exercise.
All battery:
Play the exercise at the height listed at each tempo, then move to the next
height.
To
submit your video electronically, follow one of these procedures:
1. YOUTUBE - Upload your video on
youtube, preferably all in one video. Send the link to percussion@fortecorps.org
2. 4shared.com - If you would
rather send the video directly, please upload the video on 4shared.com (after
creating a username and password), then submit the link to the same e-mail
address as above so that it may be downloaded.
3. Sendspace.com - Same type of
website as 4shared.com. One of them has a limit on the overall size, in which
case, if needed, divide the video into two parts and send them both.
If
you have any further questions, please send an e-mail to your tech or caption
head."
See you in February!!
** February 17, 2010
Open positions on the Management Team, applications being
accepted:
In just three short months, thousands of causes just like
Forte Drum & Bugle Corps have, all together, earned tens of thousands of
dollars from our special challenges. The most earned by a cause was over $1,000.
We're tremendously pleased that these Challenges work and we're excited that
supporters like you are making it happen. So pleased that we've put together
another 24 hour / $5,000 challenge.
According to the Nonprofit Finance Fund's recent survey:
* Nearly 90% of nonprofits surveyed expect 2010 to be as
difficult or more difficult than 2009.
* 80% anticipate increased demand for services in 2010.
* Only 18% of organizations expect to end 2010 above
break-even.
* The majority - 61% - have less than three months of cash
available; 12% have none.
Together, you and iGive.com can make times a little less tough
for Forte Drum & Bugle Corps.
We'll donate our marketing budget, you spread the word, and
Forte Drum & Bugle Corps gets the money. It's that simple.
We'll give Forte Drum & Bugle Corps a dollar for each
person who joins iGive using the special link below and visits one store via
iGive between noon Wednesday, March 24, 2010 (Chicago time) and noon Thursday,
the next day.
Here's where you come in. Send your friends, family, and
colleagues the following link in an e-mail, tweet it, do a Facebook posting, put
up posters, shout from mountain tops (you know the drill) and let them know you
think Forte Drum & Bugle Corps is pretty cool and deserves their support,
especially since it's free! You can even just forward this e-mail. The only way
Forte Drum & Bugle Corps will get new supporters and that free $1 (or more)
is if you invite them.
Make sure you tell your friends to perform a store visit, so
that they earn the dollar.
5,000 new members, $5,000. No purchase necessary. That's 5,000
new members for all causes, not just yours, and it's only for 24 hours, so it's
a bit of race.
It can turn into more than a dollar, much more ... if these
new members search or buy something at an iGive store they'll earn much-needed
money for Forte Drum & Bugle Corps. Right now, we're donating a special
bonus of $5 for that first purchase plus the usual percentage. Active iGive
members raise an average of over $40 per year for their cause.
The details:
- Offer active between 12:00 p.m. (noon) March 24, 2010 and
11:59 a.m., March 25, 2010 (Chicago time).
- New members only (never have been an iGive member
previously).
- All the normal rules of membership, searching, and
purchasing apply, our site has the details.
- Once we've given away $5,000 in total, the offer ends.
- The special link and visiting a store via iGive are
necessary. No link, no store visit, no $1.
That's it. We've added tons of new stuff in the last months
that we want to really test out, so spreading the word helps both Forte Drum
& Bugle Corps and iGive. Check it out yourself at
GoodSearch is giving away $5,000 between April 6th at 9am EST
and April 9th at 9am EST!
GoodSearch will donate $1 for each toolbar that is downloaded during that time
period to the user's designated nonprofit or school up to $5,000! Simply
spread the word and get your supporters to add your toolbar to their browser and
for each download, we'll donate a dollar to your cause! It's that simple! Keep
in mind, there's a $5,000 limit, so make sure your supporters are some of the
first 5,000 people to get to the site!
With the summer season just a few months away... a few dollars towards the new
uniforms, equipment, and summer finances are always welcomed! Please forward
this newsletter to everyone you know! (and encourage them to sign up for the
newsletter themselves!)
GoodSearch will donate a $1 for every toolbar that is downloaded between April
6th at 9am EST and April 9th at 9am EST up to $5,000!!
Our toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for our cause
every time you search or shop online! Once added to IE or Firefox, each time you
shop at more than 1,300 stores (from Amazon to Zazzle!) a percentage of your
purchase will automatically be donated to Forte - at no cost to you (and you may
even save money as the toolbar provides coupons and deals as well!). The toolbar
also has a search box and each time you search the Internet, about a penny is
donated to Forte
Please hurry and do this now so that we can earn the $1 bonus per toolbar!
And, please pass this along to all of your friends. The two minutes it takes to
add this toolbar to your browser can make a lifetime of difference for our
cause!
Forte is proud to announce the newest addition to the 2010
Management Team. Cheryl Brossette of Louisiana has joined the team as this
year's Volunteer Coordinator. Check out her bio on the STAFF
PAGE
** April 24th, 2010
A change in the 2010 Program has been announced. The ballad
will now be NEW WORLD from the movie Dancer in the Dark by Bjork
** May 1, 2010
Greetings!
Save money and make mom proud this Mother's Day by buying her gift on GoodShop
and supporting the cause she cares about most! (FORTE OF COURSE!!!)
Many of our 1,400 merchants are posting special coupons on our site for your
Mother's Day purchases. And in many cases they've increased the amount
that they'll donate to your designated nonprofit or school.
Here are just a few examples (please spread the word!)...
Forte welcomes Memphis Sound alumnus Jonathan Annis to the
2010 Management Team as Public Relations Intern. Mr Annis can be reached at PR@fortecorps.org
For more information about the 2010
edition of FORTE DRUM & BUGLE CORPS; write us at info@fortecorps.org.
The new website is coming
soon! So keep your eyes peeled on the weblink above and join our
newsletter (CorpsTimes) for the latest information on the corps.
Forte
Drum & Bugle Corps is a member of Overture Youth Advocacy through the Arts,
a new 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Grand Prairie, Texas.
