The following positions are open for this summer.  Please contact Darlene Dabney by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  if you want to join us for a week of fun and let her know which position you are interested in.  Please keep in mind that you do not necessarily have to come for the whole week, we would be happy to have you there whatever time during that week you can spare.  

Cabin chaperones: We will know for sure how many will be needed depending on how many kids will be in the band in the fall.  Mr. Meyer will provide us with a roster as soon as he gets one for next school year.  Duties include sleeping in the cabin with 6-8 kids, supervising them after camp curfew, chaperoning evening activities and helping in various locations throughout the camp during the day while the band is rehearsing.  We will try to first fill these positions with people that can be there for the whole week and then assign those of you that sign up for specific nights where there is a need. 

Canteen Organizer: A volunteer or volunteers are needed to head up the canteen this year.  The canteen is a place that the kids can go to and purchase (for a nominal charge) drinks and snacks while they are on breaks from rehearsals.  Previous canteen organizers have chosen the theme for the canteen.  Last year Jacque Orf and Mary Wofford ran a malt shoppe with a 50's theme for the kids.  It was a huge success.  If you volunteer to take over the canteen this year we can provide you with some ideas.  We usually try to choose a theme that matches the theme of camp which is chosen by the Seniors.  The theme for the 2010 band camp has not yet been chosen.  All supplies needed for the week will be purchased ahead of time by the boosters and ready for you to use at camp. 

Water parents: Parents are needed at the rehearsal field whenever the kids are there ready to provide water breaks and provide general assistance to the kids.  We will have a nurse on the field to provide medical care if needed.  It is helpful for the water parents to be there to assist her. 

Prop/general maintenance:  We are looking for people to volunteer to be at camp to help the camp director with general maintenance and possible prop building (if Mr. Meyer needs them for this years show).  These volunteers will also assist in setting up of the on field shade tents and Mr. Meyer's “tower of power” on the first day of camp.  Generally just be around camp to fix things. 

Please considering signing up for one of the open positions this year.  We can’t encourage you enough to consider joining us this year.  It really is a fun week.   Also, if you have a younger child at home and that is what is stopping you from volunteering, please email Darlene Dabney.  There have been plenty of circumstances where younger siblings have been at camp with us for the week, most of them end up being a huge help and eventually end up in later years being a part of the band!

Darlene Dabney  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Below is the download link for the MHSAA physical form that is mandatory for your student to participate in Marching Band activities starting with band camp in July.  A copy of this form will also be included with your band camp packet which will be distributed at a informational meeting that we will have in late May or early June.  This physical must be performed by a physician and the form has to have the physicians signature on it.

 2010 Band Camp Medical Form

We recently received our first check from GoodSearch, the web search engine that donates 50% of its revenue to schools and charities designated by its users. It wasn't a large check, just under $20, but the point is that it is income to the band that we would not otherwise have had and nobody had to sell anything or buy anything to get it. You just changed your default search engine to GoodSearch, specified the St. Charles West Band Booster Club as your charity, and started searching.

So it's a modest start. Have you checked lately that your browser is set to use GoodSearch? You might also want to visit the GoodSearch home page from time to time. The site uses a cookie to store your charity selection. If you regularly delete your private browsing information or have anti-spyware that does so, it is possible that this cookie has been removed so your searches won't be credited properly. Click on the banner at the bottom of any page of the site. That will reset your charity designation.

Thanks for supporting band by using GoodSearch. There is great potential here that will only be realized when a large number of supporters are participating. Please help get the word out.

Congratulations to Justin Frazer and Dustin Cakalic for making the All-Suburban Band. Justin won a place in the trumpet section of Jazz Band. Dustin won a spot playing alto saxophone in the Concert Band. This is a great achievement for both Justin and Dustin. It represents not just ability but literally hundreds of hours of practice. They pitted themselves against scores of the top players from the metropolitan area and achieved their goal.

By being named to the All-Suburban Band they also earned the right to audition for the All-State Band. The auditions were held this weekend, December 6, in Columbia, MO, where judges had to choose but a few players from among the top high school musicians in the state. While both performed admirably, neither Justin nor Dustin were named to the All-State band this year. Dustin received honorable mention. Both young men are sophomores this year so we look forward to seeing both of them in future All-Suburban and All-State bands as they continue to improve and build on this success.

Our commendations also go out to all the St. Charles West band students that auditioned for All-Suburban Band. Auditioning is difficult -- physically, mentally and emotionally. Preparing requires many hours of practice and the willingness to overcome the fear of failure and being judged. Just entering the audition room demonstrates a strength of will and courage that needs to be applauded. If your son or daughter auditioned this year, remember to commend them on their effort. Trying and not achieving a goal only becomes failure when one stops trying. Really, the only time you don't "fail" is the last time you try anything and it works! Encourage them to try again. And if your son or daughter didn't audition this year, encourage them to consider reaching out, exploring and expanding their limits, by seeing how far they can take their talent and love for music.