AFM Newsletter
Copies of the AFM Newsletter mailings just in case you've misplaced yours.

January 10, 2007

In This Issue:
:: Band Uniforms Overdue!
:: Amador Valley Winterguard Show - Feb. 3, 2007
:: Request for Volunteers: Uniform Check-in Day – CHANGE IN DATE!!!
:: Winterguard Info:
:: Wine Toss Volunteers needed!
:: Volunteer For $$$ into Your AFM Accounts!!!
:: Wanted: Video footage from Bands of America competition for possible use on a Marching Band DVD
:: Wanted: Video footage you deem to be a "wonderful memory" from any competition for possible use on a Marching Band DVD
:: eScrip Update
Band Uniforms Overdue!
Kimberly Ansell
don't forget logo

Band Uniforms are now past due! Students who fail to return their uniform by Friday, January 12, 2007 will receive a fine posted to their student account and they will NOT receive their report card.

The following students still need to turn in their uniform:
Sanchez, Anthony
Robinson, Brandi
Cuellar, Danielle
Kelly, Kate
Buck, Katherine
Cortez, Florinda
Carolo, Austin
Cooper, Tarryn
Thiel, Kenny
Fletcher, Rachel
Sprague, Kevin
Wright, Jason
Dowdy, Morgan
Kalra, Mahir
Holmquist, Ben
Giammona, Max
Emerson, Brittany
Thiel, Kelsey
Duck, Brennan
Schmidt, Kurt
Azcona, Carmen
Miller, Eric
Schmidt, Karl
Ghinazzi, Kristen
Rodriguez, Brandon
Ford, Eric
Ford, Janelle
Martin, Mathan
O'Hare, Brendan
Tzang, Sean
Flachsbarth, Ethan
Request for Volunteers: Uniform Check-in Day – CHANGE IN DATE!!!
Kimberly Ansell

To those KIND VOLUNTEERS who have responded - - As it happens I am UNAVAILABLE on Saturday until 2 pm. If you are willing to spend the afternoon instead of your morning – GREAT! Please email me your interest now that I have had to make a change to the time.

I am looking for a team of between 6 and 8 volunteers on Saturday, January 13, 2007 from 2 pm to 5 pm to check-in the uniforms on the Master Check-in sheet, check for uniform quality and finally separate by sizes on uniform carts – to get ready for distribution next August. Many hands make light work.

To-date I am only missing 32 uniforms and remain hopeful that those are returned by Friday, January 12. Should be an easy and fun day!

Please contact Kimberly Ansell, Uniform Coordinator 2006-2007 at KimberlyAnsell@Comcast.net or 484-2847 if you are available to help.
Magic of Music logo

Dianne Jones

Its time to pull out your calendars and mark March 31st, 2007! We are requesting your attendance and help at the 3rd Annual Magic of Music at the Pleasanton Hilton from 6-11. Come enjoy Dinner, Dancing and a Live and Silent Auction featuring an outstanding array of items! Bring your friends, neighbors, relatives or community members. This event is the one Major fundraising event for the Amador Music Program and we expect everyone to participate! We look forward to welcoming you to this spectacular event, and most of all to providing the much needed funds that will ensure the Amador Bands will continue on their path to excellence. You will be hearing much more about this event over the coming months and will be receiving a packet in the mail which will provide the opportunity to Purchase Tickets, Donate Items, and Purchase an Ad.

You may be wondering what some of the money will be used for and where it has been spent in the past. Here are some rundowns on current instrument needs (as well as past Magic of Music purchases) As you can see, quality instruments are quite expensive!

Past Magic of Music Purchases:
English Horn (05-06) $2600.00
Soprano Sax (05-06) $3000.00
Concert Tuba (05-06) $5000.00

Current Needs:
Concert tuba $5000.00
Concert baritone $3500.00 (x2) = $7000.00
Bassoon $6000.00 (x2) = $12,000.00
Bass clarinet $3000.00 (x2) = $6000.00
Chimes $10,000.00
Wine Toss Volunteers needed!
Nancy Jones

This is a fun game at the The Magic of Music where you win a bottle of wine by tossing a ring onto it. Please bring a bottle of wine (or more) to donate to the AFM General Meeting Jan 25th. To volunteer please contact Nancy Jones at nancymjones@sbcglobal.net.
Volunteer For $$$ into Your AFM Accounts!!!
Kathleen Nohr

The Boat and RV Shows Are Coming To The Alameda County Fairgrounds!
This is a great time to work and get paid $8.25 an hour to be paid directly to your AFM Account. Be a Greeter or work in one of the Information Booths. This opportunity is open to all Students, Family Members and Friends to help your AFM Account. Pick the hours you want to work. They do ask that you work in at least 4 hour increments.

Boat Show Dates January 6 - January 14th
Hours:
M-F Noon-7:00 p.m.
Saturday 10-7:00p.m.

RV Show Dates January 26th-February 4th
Hours:
M-Saturday 10-8:00p.m.
Sunday 10-6
Last Sunday 10-3

Contact via email Kathleen Nohr with the hours you wish to work including Name, Date that you can work and contact number or email address. For more information contact Kathleen at 925-462-7579 or knohr@comcast.net

Amador Valley Winterguard Show - Feb. 3, 2007
Chris Smith & Ginnelle Dowdy
Winterguard Pic

Potato Bakers Needed: We are selling baked potatoes at the Winterguard show. If you are willing to bake potatoes and bring them to Amador on Feb. 3rd at 4:00 pm. please contact RGDowdy@sbcglobal.net . Directions will be forwarded to you.

Baked Goods Needed: We are selling baked goods package individually for sale. If you are willing to bake cookies, rice crispy treats or anything that can be sold individually and bring them to Amador on Feb. 3rd at 4 pm, please contact RGDowdy@sbcglobal.net

Volunteer Opportunities Abound: This is a fun and exciting evening. All band students are required to volunteer a shift so come volunteer a shift with your child and see what these guards can do. Contact Kathleen Nohr at KNohr@ortc.com to volunteer. Wear your purple, gold or black to identify yourself and with the Amador Valley Winterguard. Students will be signing up in the band room.

Contact the coordinators with any questions:

Chris Smith 426-9459/200-3498 or mcjksmith@comcast.net Ginnelle Dowdy 462-0793/549-1206, RGDowdy@sbcglobal.net
Thank you!!
Winterguard Info:
Mari Terhune

PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! This is nothing new to your student; however, would you believe we've not had 1 practice with full guard attendance? Don't forget ATTENDANCE AT GUARD PRACTICE IS MANDATORY! Each guard student received a practice conflict form from Mr. G. This must be turned in by Friday, January 12!

We made it through Evals ~ now the fun begins! Don't forget Homestead this Saturday. Drivers for this week are Dowdy, Scott, Xu, Stueve, Nohr, Silva, Terhune. All guard members are required to travel to and from the competition in carpools. If you wish to drive your own student back to Amador after the competition, you MUST fill out a Student Release Form available on the Amador band website and turn it in prior to Saturday's competition. Once a student is assigned to a carpool on Saturday morning, he/she cannot change cars for the ride home.

Speaking of carpools, if you are not driving to/from a competition you can expect a call from your guard student at the completion of the event telling you our expected arrival time at Amador. Please be respectful of the RA on duty and be at Amador at the arrival time. It only takes a few minutes to unload the guard floor and equipment and we've had many occasions where 1 or 2 students are left waiting to be picked up for almost 45 minutes.

WEDNESDAY GUARD PRACTICE: Sabres will start at 5:00, the rest of the guard practice begins at 6:00 as usual. Next week, the rifles will start at 5:00 and then the flags after that.

Lastly, I am putting together a roster of guard names, addresses & guard cell phone numbers. Upon completion, a copy will be given to each guard family. Please let me know if you DO NOT want your child's information included in this roster. The roster will be given out on Saturday.

Thanks Toni Shook for RAing Evals and thanks also to all the drivers and travelled back & forth to Dublin!

Mari (925) 872-6473
Wanted: Video footage from Bands of America competition for possible use on a Marching Band DVD
Steve Ethier

Please contact Steve Ethier at slethier@pacbell.net if you have any video footage from the Bands of America competition and/or awards ceremony that you would be willing to have considered for use on a Marching Band DVD. I am primarily interested in the awards ceremony as the finalists entered the Coliseum and/or as the band took the field for competition. I cannot use anything off the DVD that was available for purchase, I need something recorded personally by spectator.
Wanted: Video footage you deem to be a "wonderful memory" from any competition for possible use on a Marching Band DVD
Steve Ethier

Please contact Steve Ethier at slethier@pacbell.net if you have any video footage that makes you think "gee, this is some great stuff, many members of the band might remember this and laugh or smile when they see it." and you are willing to share it with the rest of the band. I'm not looking for anything from the field show itself unless you think it's really good and is something that normally didn't happen during the field show. An example of the type of thing I'm looking for is a wild boar running across the field during the show, I don't remember such a thing happening but it's possible I missed it and someone has it on video tape). Another example would be the Arizona Marching Band performing during dinner at BOA. Yet another example would be Mr. Grantham saying something out of the ordinary to the band (here's a good example for this one, at the end of one of the last practices the bass clarinets added a swaying move while standing on the barge, Mr. Grantham was surprised by this and made a great comment about it.). Thanks.
eScrip Update
Pam Sangiacomo

AFM is reviewing our eScrip database. If your last name differs from your child's, or if you have any friends or family members who are contributing to your student's account, please send an email to me at sangiacomo@comcast.net giving my their names and where their contributions should be credited. We have new supporters added each month but we don't always know if they want their contributions to be credited to a particular student's account. Many supporters contribute to our general fund.

If you are interested in starting an account, go to the band website, click on Parent Information, then student accounts, and finally the eScrip link. You will find the directions for starting a new account. Don't forget to let me know so I can keep an eye out for your new registration. Keep in mind that it takes about 3 months for contributions to be credited to your student's account. Any other questions, please email me.

Thanks, Pam Sangiacomo

Updated: January 10, 2007