2003 February Bugle

Attention All Band Families…

Our Stadium Needs Your Help!!

To All Booster Families,

A group of dedicated parents from the Conejo Valley community have formed a coalition. They have asked for our support and participation in requesting that the Thousand Oaks City Council adopt a resolution earmarking $3,900,000.00 of the available unrestricted development funds to be divided equally between the three area high schools, Newbury Park, Thousand Oaks and Westlake High Schools, for the improvement of their stadium athletic fields. These fields and practice fields are used every day for a wide variety of events including Band and Color Guard, soccer, in-field warm ups for track and field, football, cheer, youth community sports, graduation ceremonies, physical education and a host of other community purposes. As we have experienced first hand, these fields are run down, compacted and prone to flooding. The grandstand areas at Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park are in ill repair and are dangerous. The school district does not have funds available to improve these stadiums so these unrestricted city funds may be our only chance.

These stadiums should not only be brought up to safe standards but by improving these fields, the schools and city will have a better opportunity to sponsor future large fundraising events that will support the organizations, school and the city.

This group is asking for at least 200 signatures of people who are over the age of 18 on a petition from every organization at all three high schools. We need to collect these signatures before February 21. A petition is available on the Booster Bulletin Board in the Band Room for your signatures. If you are able to take around a petition to get signatures please let me know and I will make arrangements to give you one. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me, 492-0777.

As well as signing the petition, if you are able to send an email to the city council in favor of this plan, the city council is interested in what the public has to say. Their address is city@toaks.org. Their staff reads and tallies all email that is sent in. “Never doubt the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. That’s about the only way it has ever happened in the past.” Margaret Mead

Thanks for your support.

Lynne Phillips

Band Booster President

Host an Austrian High School Student

TOHS is inviting families to sign up to host a high school student from Vienna, Austria, March 27 - April 10, 2003. They need families to host 45 students and two male teachers. This program raises money that will benefit the school.

Each student arrives fully insured with their own spending money. Host families are asked to provide housing and meals as well as transportation to and from TOHS. For more information call Sabine Huemer, 310-374-6287 or Mrs. Piechowski at TOHS, 495-7491. Applications are available in Activities Office of the TOHS Main Office.

It’s that time of the year!

Yep, it’s the time of the year when we form a Nominating Committee to prepare a slate of officers for our Executive Board for the upcoming school year. To that end, Polly Toohey, this year’s parliamentarian, is looking for seven Boosters to serve with her on the Nominating Committee. We are also seeking willing souls to fill the Board positions. Check the position responsibilities as outlined in the Booster Handbook. Talk to Polly, 523-2569, if you have questions about a position, are willing to fill a position or if you can serve on the Nominating Committee.

Polly and her bylaws committee are also in the process of revising the bylaws. If you have any suggestions or input, please contact her.

President’s Corner

Dear Booster Families:

The month of January was a time for preparation and organization. Both the Color Guard and Drum Line shows are ready for competition. In fact, the Color Guard, known as the Emerald Guard, competed at Valencia High School this past Saturday, February 1. The girls had a great first performance. Congratulations to them and the staff. They and the Drum Line will compete this weekend February 8 and 9 at the Riverside Competition. Good Luck!!

Our 11^th Annual Dinner Dance and Auction was held this past Saturday, February 1 at the Clarion Palm Garden Hotel. The mood was rather somber in light of the day’s tragic events of the space shuttle Columbia. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost loved ones. Not taking away anything from the world events of the day, we had a very successful evening. The decorations were beautiful, the food was delicious, the live auctioneer, Kenn Phillips with his straight man Jack Chiurazzi, was comical and successful at helping to raise almost $3000.00 with live auction items, and the TOHS AM Jazz Band featuring vocalist, Mary Anne Martone under the fabulous direction of Marty Martone, was OUTSTANDING! Thank you to Melody Fouse, our Ways and Means chair, for organizing this incredible event. Thank you to the Dinner Dance/Auction Planning Committee: Melody & Scott Fouse, Patti Fonvergne, Betsy Connolly, Jack Chiurazzi, Gari Ann Douglass, Diane Folsom, Jeanne Cohen, Gail Williamson, Peggy Fenger, Penny Hunter and Ivy Reid for organizing the very profitable silent and live auction. We made approximately $8,500.00 profit!!!! This is $1,000 above our budget projection! Thank you to those who helped set up and cleaned up! Thank you to you, our wonderful Booster families, loyal alumni and our community donors and sponsors for all the donations. We had over 145 items for auction. It was an early Valentine’s Day celebration with our Moonlight Serenade theme. In keeping with the theme we offered photos with your loved one or ones. Thank you to Shannon Fouse and Ariel Quiros our lovely photographers for the evening. It was truly a beautiful evening. Pictures of the event will be available soon on our TOHS Band Website thanks to Steve Friedman and other Booster Dad’s.

Spring competition season is just like our fall season. We still need a lot of parent support at these events. A few people can’t do all the work. The Color Guard Tournament will be held in the TOHS Gym on Friday evening, February 21. We have a sold out show. We need all Band and Color Guard families to help. This is a fundraiser to add to our budget and we need volunteer support. Call Jake Wood, our tournament chairperson to sign up to help.

Some of you still owe fall expenses. These expenses were due October 15, 2002. We all signed the Financial Acknowledgement Form and these expenses are collectable. Trying to make a budget and pay for expenses that we set seven months ago before world events and the economy let down is a difficult task. However, the sole purpose of the Booster organization is to provide volunteer and financial support to the students, band director and the program. I know that the majority of us agree with that statement. It’s a privilege to participate in this program. I know that the families in this program want to continue to build the legacy of the TOHS Lancer Band and Color Guard.

Musically yours,

Lynne Phillips

BUY SCRIP NOW!!

Paper scrip includes the following: Ralph’s, Von’s, Whole Foods, Smart and Final, Taco Bell, Carl’s Junior, Burger King, Jamba Juice, Sav-on, and Longs. Call Dorothy Hatfield to arrange a delivery, 529-5819.

eScrip update—Scott Fouse, Financial Secretary, recently contacted Von’s about their eScrip contributions, Effective January 1, 2003 the rebate from Von’s is as follows:

1% on Monthly Purchases between $1-$300

2% on Monthly Purchases between $301-$500

3% on Monthly Purchases between $501-$600

4% on Monthly Purchases over $600

Contribution Example:

$800 total spent earns $18.00

$300 x 1% = $3.00

$200 x 2% = $4.00

$100 x 3% = $3.00

$200 X 4% = $8.00

One half of the proceeds go to your student’s account the other half goes to the Boosters. The Band’s eScrip ID number is 137115759. Registration is FREE!! So sign up all your neighbors, relatives and friends. Just drop a note in the Band White Box to let Scott know of any other names that should be credited to your student.

Scrip Advantage is handled by Mary Tessendorf. Order forms are always available on the Band Room door. You can place your order in the box outside Mary’s front door at 2657 Castillo Circle, by Tuesday morning. Scrip Advantage has a lot of great vendors with some very high percentages. Talk to Mary if you have any questions, 492-5795.

ROSTER UPDATES

Please make the following updates to your roster for the second semester. Please remove these students:

Rosa Davies, Stephen Davies, Lindsay Glaser, Ashley Grimes, Nick Noli, Patrick Park, Oyuki Perez, Amber Purcell, Rhonni Seelig, Michael Smith, Sarah Williamson, Anna Zehnder.

Please add these students to your roster. Katherine McKenney has returned her information remains the same as in the fall.

Welcome to a new student, Trevor Davis who plays bass clarinet. His parents are James and Jennifer Davis, 3609 Lockford Ct., 91360, 241-1916,

j.jdavisii@juno,com.

If you have any updates to your information, please notify the Band Office and Lori Crosse, crosselc@adelphia.net.

Hats Off to Melody Fouse and the Dinner Dance Committee

A huge thank you goes out to Melody Fouse and all those who worked so hard to make the Dinner Dance and Auction an outstanding event and a wonderful fundraiser!!! Thanks go to Jeanne Cohen for her expert creativity and use of her home for putting together the 100 plus baskets. Jeanne was assisted by Peggy Fenger, Gari Ann Douglass, Lynne Phillips, Lori Crosse and Betsy Connolly. They were masterpieces.

Once again Betsy Connolly showed her outstanding organizational abilities by coordinating the silent and live auction items. Thanks to Diane Folsom and Sandee Tischler for greeting everyone at the door. And to the check out crew headed by Gari Ann and Bruce Douglass. Others making sure pick up went smoothly were Scott Fouse, Scott Crawford, Bill Cole, and Pauline Pancake. Patti Fonvergne’s creative eye and decorating skills shined through again this year as she livened up an otherwise plain-looking ballroom. Those who helped her were her daughter Meagan, Lynne Phillips, Shari Smith, Sandee Tischler, Pauline Pancake and daughter Michelle, Linda Crawford, Polly Toohey, Betsy Connolly, and Peggy Fenger.

The evening would not have been complete without our wonderful auctioneer, Mr. Kenn Phillips and his sidekick Jack Chiurazzi. They provided a lot of fun and entertainment! And speaking of entertainment, once again Mr. Martone led the Jazz Band in an exceptional performance and Mrs. Martone’s vocals were an added treat! The tribute Mr. Martone paid to the Jazz Band students, especially the seniors, was very touching. They are a very talented and special group of young people and we our proud that you are our kids!!

Finally, everyone who attended had a fantastic time. Once again thanks to Melody and her committee for all their hard work and planning. (See Melody you didn’t need to worry after all. Everything was perfect.) Oh, and by the way, we raised over $8500. Thanks for your generous support!

Thanks to our Local Businesses for Their Support

Betsy Connolly was in charge of solicitations from outside businesses. She just wanted to remind everyone to give a word of thanks to these area merchants. Their support of the Lancer Band and Color Guard lightens the financial burden on all Band Families. They have earned our thanks and patronage. Please let them know you are grateful for their support when you next visit them.

Salon of the Oaks, Hair by L & S, Applebee’s Restaurant, Café Provencal, B.J.’s Restaurant & Brewery, California Pizza Kitchen, Papa John’s Pizza, Mimi’s Café, See’s Candies, Alberts Jewelers, Eric’s Restaurant, Conejo Wine and Provisions Co., Mandevilla Restaurant, Country Floral Designs, Conroy’s Florist—Westlake, Frames By You, Reasons to Remember—Flowers and Gifts, Agoura Hills, Frenzy...a wild excitement, The Secret Drawer Collectibles, and Cravings—Oak Park.

Upcoming Events

February 11-13

TOHS Recital Auditions

February 14-17

President’s Holiday

No School

Tuesday, February 18

Booster Meeting

7:30pm Band Room

Subway Restaurant Night

Friday, February 21

TOHS Color Guard Tournament

TOHS Gym

Thursday, February 27

Baja Fresh Restaurant Night

Thursday, February 27 &

Friday, February 28

Ventura County Honor Band

Buena High School, Ventura

8pm

Tuesday, March 4

TOHS Recital

7:30pm TOHS PAC