State Finals Merchandise- NEW THIS YEAR

Pay attention parents, the system has changed from previous years. 

No group-ordering for State Finals shirts and memorabilia this year. Instead, the host school has a website set up to take your orders. All orders will be delivered to your home.

Reeths-Puffer is the host school this year. They have a shop set up now to take your merchandise orders.

Reeths-Puffer State Finals Merchandise Shop

You may also purchase merchandise from the booth at Ford Field on the day of State Finals. Because Flight I has the early time slots this year, they won't be sold out by the time we get there. BUT remember, lines at the booth are almost always long. 

Moral of the story: If you do not order on-line, be prepared to wait in-line.

Absent?

The absent email address has changed.

Please notify our volunteer about expected absences from LOMB rehearsals and performances or LOHS concerts or band events due to vacations, appointments, or illness.

Absent@lodragonbands.org

We've had some serious misunderstandings recently about the nature of the absent inbox.

To Clarify:

  • Absent@lodragonbands.org is NOT a hotline to Mr. Steele. He does not read these emails. Emails are gathered and noted by our Recording Secretary, Erica Wagner. She compiles the data into a weekly summary report for the directors.
  • Your absence reports are kept confidential.
  • Reporting to absent@lodragonbands.org DOES NOT excuse your student from LOHS classes for the day.
  • Emailing the absent inbox does not trigger anything but the addition of your student's name to the weekly absent report. There is no emergency response team that swings into action based upon your email. We are parent volunteers trying to help the director predict attendance patterns, not social workers.

LOBB Address Change

LOBB email addresses have now changed.

Many thanks to Lynn Ray for all the time she spent turning the dials and knobs to make this happen.

Please note- under the previous system, addresses were designated by the name of the office holder or chairperson (ex: ashulke@lod...). That system led to mass confusion at the start of every season because really, who has time to memorize who is doing what job every year?

Under the new system, you will be emailing the JOB, not the PERSON. And when a job is taken over by a new volunteer, the address is passed to that person along with the email archives for that job.

I've been gentle and I'm not forcing all our volunteers into using the lodragonbands.org addresses, some are still using personal inboxes. But as more volunteers adopt the system, you'll know that "concessions@lodragonbands.org" will always put you in touch with the concessions department and you won't have to remember who's in charge of uniforms, you'll simply email "uniforms@lodragonbands.org".

I know you're not going to save this email, so I won't list addresses here. Head to the directory page on the lodragonbands.org website (under the PARENTS menu) to get the directory. I'll be adding to this throughout the year.

But here's a glance at the new board addresses, note that you're emailing the JOB they do now:

  • LOBB President Lyla Dyer: president@lodragonbands.org
  • Vice President Dawn Priebe: fundraising@lodragonbands.org
  • Vice President Jen Asher: volunteer@lodragonbands.org
  • Treasurer Cristie Tyrrell: budget@lodragonbands.org
  • Treasurer Ruth Arnott: accounts@@lodragonbands.org
  • Communications Secretary Amy Shulke communications@lodragonbands.org
  • Recording Secretary Erica Wagner records@lodragonbands.org

ere are a few others:

  • Concessions Info (Diane Falkowski) concessions@lodragonbands.org
  • Uniform Dept (Lyla Dyer) uniforms@lodragonbands.org
  • Website (Amy Shulke) webmaster@@lodragonbands.org
  • LO Winter Guard (Lyla Dyer) guard@lodragonbands.org
  • LO Percussion (Ruth Arnott) LOP@lodragonbands.org

ull list at: lodragonbands.org > PARENTS > Directory

Pink Plumes for A Mother's Wish

On Friday, October 2nd at the LOHS vs Stony Creek home football game, the Lake Orion Marching Band will go pink on behalf of a wonderful local charity.

Kathy Luby was a teacher at Oakview Middle School whose legacy lives on today in the form of A Mother's Wish. AMW services Oakland county women and their families as they fight breast cancer. A Mother's Wish provides financial assistance, meals, home maintenance, equipment, and professional family support during their darkest days and most trying times.

This is a wonderful organization fulfilling a dire need for our local community.

The LOBB is now accepting donations. The LOBB Executive Board has kicked off this campaign with over $700 in personal donations and we invite your contributions. While we know that you can and do support your own personal charities of choice- as a band family, we can't think of a more loving way to step in and change local lives for the better. Large donations make a bigger impact and together as a unified band family, we are incredibly strong.

Donations are fully tax deductible and we encourage you to donate in the name of a family member affected by ANY form of cancer. Students will read each name in a short ceremony before the football game.

Once we cover the cost of plumes (which will be used every year), 100% of your donations will be given to A Mother's wish.

Pink bandanas (for non-shako students) and 150 pairs of pink gloves are being provided to the band as a gift from board members.

Watch for the Spirit Shop to open soon. I will be stocking pink band shirts so that your family members can participate in going pink. Shirt profits will go to A Mother's Wish.

Donation checks should be made payable to LOBB. Please indicate "Pink Plumes" in the memo area. Name to be read in memoriam or as a survivor should be attached, both your family name and the name you wish to have honored. Please indicate their status, we would hate to include someone on the wrong list.

Lyla Dyer will be at the high school after practice on Thursday the 17th to accept checks. Our mailing address is:

LOBB
P.O. Box 93
Lake Orion, Michigan
48361

Thank you for the overwhelming response so far. It's been wonderful to see so many amazing band families reaching out to help our neighbors and local friends.

Gift of Music- Tickets Available NOW

Our annual fundrasing banquet will be held on Saturday, November 19th.

All proceeds benefit:

  • LOHS Choir- equipment & curriculum supplemention
  • Oakview, Scripps, Waldon, & LOHS concert season bands- curriculum support, extracurricular funding, instrument maintenance & purchases
  • LO Marching Band- student fee reduction fund, individual scholarships
  • Band Collaboration Project- used instrument donations accepted, helping Lake Orion students join band and remain in band despite family financial difficulty

Dawn Priebe will also have tickets available at the Sept 22nd LOBB General Meeting. 7pm in the LOHS band room.

All State Band & Orchestra Auditions

This is for concert season instruments, auditions for either the All State Band or the All State Orchestra, High School level.

All application forms plus $10 audition fee are due to Mr. Steele no later than Friday, Sept. 28th. Checks made out to LOBB.

All State Band Weekend is held in Grand Rapids from January 21-23, 2016

Families are responsible for transportation to both the auditions and the All State Weekend. There is also a $60 fee for accepted participants.

Auditions will be held at Walled Lake Northern HS on two dates:

  • Saturday, October 31st
  • Sunday, November 1st

LOMB- PLEASE NOTE: You must select Nov. 1 as your audition date due to a conflict with the Huron Valley Invitational. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Application and music files are available on Dropbox. Please look for your instrument and download only what files you need. The application is listed last.

FCA Motor Citizens + Odd Jobs Day

It's time for our annual Odd Jobs Work Day!

This is in conjunction with the Motor Citizens program at Fiat Chrysler but ANYONE can come help the band to a little fall cleaning!

Friday, September 25th from 11am to 6pm.

We need 10 FCA employees (salaried, non-bargaining) working 3 hours each to earn the bonus donation to the LO Band department.

Last year we had 23 participants and we more than qualified for the bonus donation. We were quite productive but the best part was meeting so many wonderful band parents!

Jobs this year include:

  • Concessions maintenance
  • Concessions storage cleanout
  • Annual semi clean-out
  • Annual band shed clean-out
  • Recycling of old prop materials
  • Dirt berm removal (from north yard by shed)
  • Misc LOMB prop tasks as needed
  • Misc LOMB pit tasks as needed

More info: Amy Shulke

From Mr. Steele: Adequate Water & Good Food

We have had a significant increase in the number of marchers sitting out during rehearsals

Several students have been either dehydrated. A few have been nauseous.

It's not surprising that the dehydrated kids report not drinking much water.

The nauseous reported having Checkers for dinner.

Please talk with your student about the importance of drinking enough water

  • the day before rehearsal
  • the day of rehearsal
  • and the day after rehearsal

The amount of activity in an average LOMB rehearsal really takes a toll on their bodies. And that's in normal heat. When it gets hot or humid, the need for water only increases.

As for the Checkers, we've warned you.

Every. Single. Year. Someone. Vomits. In. The. Parking. Lot.

Please make sure you're bringing them gentle food. There's a reason why there isn't a buffet table along the sidelines at sporting events. Marching band isn't anything different.

Every single year folks. Every single year.

LOHS Make Up Registration Day

LOHS registration runs during the week of band camp.

This is not unusual and actually works to the band student's benefit. Shorter lines and easier registration.

Make up Date: Tuesday, Sep 1 from 9:30am to 2:30pm

All LOMB students must have completed the full registration process and be ready for rehearsal beginning at 1pm.

The school photographer's website is misleading, they will be on hand for the make up date to take photographs. 

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