Dear Erie Thunderbirds Supporter,

We have been an American Legion champion, an RCA champion, and a top 10 member corps of DCA. We traveled to many places and performed some of the finest music the world has known. It was a long time ago but these accomplishments remain in our hearts and minds.

In 2013, a group of our younger members approached the Thunderbirds Board of Directors and inquired about managing the day-to-day affairs of the corps with the possibility of transitioning to a field corps. With the Board’s blessing, the new team began to organize and plan. The 2014 version of the Erie Thunderbirds exceeded our expectations and was notable in many ways. At the close of the 2014 season, the team rolled up its sleeves and went back to work, planning, writing, and recruiting for 2015.

In 2015, for the first time in over 30 years, your Erie Thunderbirds will compete in DCA field competition, including DCA Championships in Rochester, New York Labor Day Weekend!

If you are an alumni member of the Erie Thunderbirds Drum & Bugle Corps, another drum & bugle corps, or perhaps are a drum corps fan, you are probably aware of the hard work, dedication, and funding that is required to maintain a field corps: music, instruction, equipment, insurance, uniforms, transportation, licensing fees, meals, etc. To meet some of these expenses, corps members are involved in a variety of fundraisers including the Calendar of Cash, the annual Sportsman’s Raffle, selling sandwich coupons, etc. These activities pay only part of the corps yearly expenses.

In addition to fundraising, our members (many of them of high school age) pay out of pocket for bus trips and meals. This season’s ambitious schedule will require three more day trips, two more overnight trips, plus DCA weekend (a three-day trip), ten total breakfast meals, ten total lunch meals, ten total dinner meals, and nine corps meals just for DCA weekend.

I am writing today to ask for your help.

Will you join me in supporting the corps by becoming a member of the Erie Thunderbirds VIP Club? With your donation of $25, $50, $100, $150, $250 or more, your Erie Thunderbirds will be one step closer to meeting its 2015 expenses and competing as a DCA member corps.

This is a new generation of Thunderbirds. Our young members are excited and excelling as musicians. Our staff is talented and prepared. 2015 is a landmark year for the Erie Thunderbirds. Won’t you help?

Thank you in advance.

 

Joe Salorino

President