Marching to Washington D.C.!
We are proud to announce that the Golden Cougar Band of Pride has been nominated by Congressman Bilirakis to represent the State of Florida in the 2020 National Memorial Day Parade in Washington D.C.! This is a huge honor and we have the full support of the school to make this happen. Also, some exciting news, Mr. Parrulli has said that any current Seniors who wish to attend as chaperones (you will have to get your Level II clearance) will be allowed to march and perform with the band! This trip will be very exciting. Here is a list of the things we will do
All of the above will be jam packed into 4 days and 3 nights, and will cost us less than $1,000 per person. To go we will have to fundraise like never before, and that fundraising will start before this school year has even ended. We need to find as many sponsors as we can, and we will be hosting many fundraisers, including through the summer. While we do not expect everyone to attend every fundraiser, we expect you to do as much as possible. The more we raise, the less you will have to pay to attend this amazing trip. I encourage everyone to start raising money now on your own as well. Something a lot of the Indoor and Drum Corp kids do is to create a Go Fund Me page to help pay their dues. You can do this right now and raise a large amount of the money quickly. A few quick tips:
More information will be coming out soon as to our fundraising plans, so please check back for e-mails about opportunities to help out. If you have any questions about this trip, please do not hesitate to reach out to either Wayne Brown at GCBBpresident1@gmail.com or to Vince Parrulli at ParrulliV@pcsb.org |
If you wish to participate in the parade, please download and complete the form below. It is due no later than September 1st. 4 payments of $250 will be due September 1st, November 1st, January 1st and March 1st. Based on your participation in fundraising, your payments may decrease. Please download the below form for more info.
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The 2019 Marching SHow has been announced...
band camp and weekly practiceThe dates for Band Camp 2019 have been set! Mark your calendars now, as attendance is expected. If for some reason your student cannot attend all or part of this event, it is expected that they speak with Mr. Parrulli right away.
Week 1: July 22 - 25 9a-5p Week 2: July 29 - August 1 9a-5p Weekly Practices will begin the first week of school Marching Band- Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30pm - 7:30pm Color Guard - Monday and Thursday 2:30pm-7:30pm PLEASE NOTE: Students should arrive at 2:30pm to allow themselves enough time to get their instrument and be at the practice field by 2:45pm for stretching. Actual practice ends at 7pm, but due to post-practice meetings, and time to get back to the band room to put away instruments, students will not be ready for pickup until 7:30pm required PaperworkYou must have all of the required paperwork completed PRIOR to starting Band Camp. You can find the paperwork attached below. We will hold a Paperwork Night on July 19th in the band room at which time you can turn in your paperwork and we can make sure you have everything ready and pre-clear your student for Band Camp. Do not wait until the morning of Band Camp, or you will delay the start of camp.
Any questions about Band Camp can be directed to Mr. Parrulli at ParrulliV@pcsb.org Any questions about Paperwork can be directed to our Secretary Melissa Fox at GCBBsecretary1@gmail.com ![]()
Band FeesThe Band Fees for 2019 will remain at $500, and can be paid in full, in 10 payments of $50 between February and November or in 5 payments of $100 between July and November. This cost covers a big chunk of the annual costs to run the program, and decreases the amount of fundraising needed. It is important that everyone pay's their fair share to ensure the program can continue.
Payments can be made by check or cash, or online via Pay Pal. If you pay with Pay Pal there will be a fee added to your payment to cover the fees charged by Pay Pal. Checks written to GCBB, and cash, can be deposited in the box in the Band Room or they can be mailed to: GCBB P.O. Box 14923 Clearwater, FL 33766-4923 It is important you write the student's name on the check or envelope holding the cash, or type it in the appropriate box when paying online with Pay Pal. If we do not get a name, we may not know who's account to credit. Remember, volunteers with 75 + hours of service to the band during the previous year may pay a discounted rate of $425 by check or cash, if paid in full. If you are having a financial hardship that will impact your ability to pay these fees, please reach out directly to our Booster President, Wayne Brown, at GCBBpresident1@gmail.com or by phone at 727-688-7125. The boosters may be able to assist. You can pay your fees online at http://cougarmusic.weebly.com/marching-band.html fundraisersIn a perfect world, we would not need to fundraise, but let's be honest, band is expensive! It costs over $50,000 a year to run the music programs at CHS (many other schools in our area have even larger budgets!). This year will require even more funding as we make our way to Washington D.C. We do pass some of the expense on to the students, but we know it is impossible for them to bare a majority of the cost. Therefore, fundraising is essential to our success. We need EVERYONE's help this year if we are going to make this happen for our students.
There will be many fundraisers announced throughout the summer months and into the Fall. PLEASE make every attempt to help at as many as possible. We need both students AND parents to make these events happen. Something easy, and free, that every student can do right now to help raise money for their costs this year would be to start a Go Fund Me page. Many students who participate in Drum Corp and Indoor season already are familiar with this, but it can be helpful in raising funds from your friends and family. Everyone can create a GoFundMe page to raise money, but you MUST state you are raising funds to cover your band fees, do not state that you are raising money for the band. The money would be raised by you, it will then be your responsibility to use that money to pay your band fees. This is a good way to get a jump start on the costs for this year Some of the exciting Fundraisers we are looking at now include:
This is just a start, but we need more ideas. If you have any ideas, or would like to help with fundraising, please reach out to our Fundraising Chair, Sandy Smith, at GCBBfundraising1@gmail.com |
PRepare for band campBand Camp and practices can be intense. Much of the time is spent outdoors so it is important that all students are prepared.
1) HYDRATE! Students should be well hydrated coming to camp or practice, and should bring plenty of water to get through the practice. We suggest bringing a 1 gallon water jug. We will always have water available to the students. Remember, sports drinks are ok in moderation, but water is key. 2) Eat a good breakfast, and make sure you have food to eat during breaks. Don't eat junk food, you need to be at your best! 3) Sun protection! Wear sun screen and a hat. Don't get burned! Cooling towels are also helpful. 4) Comfortable shoes. This is NOT the time to break in new shoes. Make sure you have comfortable shoes that give you plenty of support. 5) Dot Book and Music Folder. A dot book is a small memo pad on a string that you wear around your neck. The kids should all have one of these with a pen to help record their locations on the field for each set. Each student should also have a black 3-ring binder with sheet protectors for their music. 6) Uniform. All students should wear a band practice shirt and comfortable athletic shorts. Additional shirts can be purchased from our uniform coordinator. Football Games and CompetitionsThe band will be performing at all home games and 3 away games:
The band will be competing at 4 competitions this year:
Design our Theme ShirtAre you an artist? Good with Digital Design? Help us design the front of our Theme Shirt! Students may submit their design to Mr. Parrulli at Parrulliv@pcsb.org as soon as the theme is revealed. All selections must be in by the end of Band Camp week 1 (July 25th). Appropriate selections will be made available for voting by the entire group at the end of Band Camp. The winning selection will be featured on the 2019 Theme Shirt, and the student who designed it will win a prize!
2019 / 2020 LeadershipDrum Major: Jarrett Mattson
President: Cole Deale Guard Captain: TBD Percussion Front Ensemble Captain: TBD Brass Captain: TBD Woodwind Captain: TBD Quartermaster: TBD Percussion Quartermaster: TBD 2019 Instructional StaffBand Director: Vince Parrulli
Choreography: Allie Davison Drill: Vince Parrulli, Jordon Pinchback, Allie Davison Visual Instructor: Jordon Pinchback Guard Instructor: Maryanne Stevens Percussion Front Ensemble Instructor: Xiara Rooney Brass Instructor: Patrick Moore Woodwind Instructor: Fofi Panagiotouros Sponsor the BandOne big way the band raises money is through sponsorships. Both local businesses or individuals may sponsor the band, and all sponsors will be recognized.
Businesses who sponsor our band will benefit from the advertisement opportunities we can provide. Our business sponsors can expect:
Individuals or groups who would like to sponsor the band will also be recognized
If you would like more information about Sponsoring the band, please check out our Sponsor page at: http://cougarmusic.weebly.com/sponsors.html UPCOMING EVENTS7/19 - Paperwork Night, Time TBD - CHS Band Room
7/22 - 7/25 - Band Camp Week 1, 9a-5p - CHS Band Room 7/29 - 8/01 - Band Camp Week 2, 9a-5p - CHS Band Room 8/12 - First Day of School 8/12 - First Guard Practice 2:30pm - 7:30pm 8/13 - First Band Practice 2:30pm - 7:30pm 8/15 - First Full Band Practice 2:30pm - 7:30pm |
thank you sponsors!
The following businesses have supported the band through monetary donations, gifts-in-kind, or by hosting fundraisers for us. Please help support these local businesses. Click on their logo to go to their websites and learn more!
If you own a local business, or know someone who does, and would like to sponsor the band please check out our Sponsorship Page for more information, or contact Wayne Brown at GCBBpresident1@gmail.com. Individuals, families and groups of friends may also sponsor the band, and any donation over $250 will be featured on the wall outside our Concession Stand for the entire 2019/2020 School Year.