Tate Band Boosters

Welcome to the Showband of the South! Your talented children are now a part of the largest, most visible organization on campus. Likewise, you are now a part of the largest booster club on campus. Being a new band parent can get a little overwhelming at times, but we are here to help you!

The following information is provided to help you get started.

The Tate Band Boosters is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. We raise funds and volunteer our time to support the goals of the band program. Our elected officers of the board include:

• President – Tiffany Swauger
• Vice President 1 (Volunteers) – Lisa Ferlo
• Vice President 2 (Ways and Means) – Mike Rhodes
• Vice President 3 (Events) – currently vacant
• Treasurer – Amy Broach
• Secretary – Cherie Vigil

You are a Tate Band Booster. But how? Simply, you are a Tate Showband member’s parent, stepparent, or legal guardian, and that automatically grants you membership in the Tate Band Booster Association.

The third Thursday of every month is reserved for booster meetings (unless there is a schedule conflict with a performance or event). Please plan to attend, as they are very informative. We review the previous month’s treasurer’s report, get an update from the band directors, and discuss booster matters. Occasionally, the boosters will be asked to vote.

During the summer and fall, the Showband consists of 160 - 200 students who include wind instrument musicians, battery percussionists, front ensemble percussionists, and color guard. During the winter and spring, this massive group is broken into smaller groups: Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz 1, Jazz 2, Indoor Percussion (audition required), and Winter Guard (audition required). The bands will participate in performance evaluations, as well as several concerts. Indoor percussion and winter guard are competitive groups.

Boosters do a lot, no matter what season the band is in. You drive your kids to rehearsals, volunteer your time, raise children, help with homework, hold down jobs, and so much more! We are very thankful for the parents, guardians, family, and friends who support our efforts to support the Showband. It’s cliché, but true: we cannot do this without you.

How can you help? Be involved!

• Volunteer – This is a big one. The more people we have helping, the lighter the load for everyone. Interacting with other parents while volunteering is one of the quickest ways to acclimate to the Showband and learn all the new stuff. Some of the volunteer opportunities include positions at band camps, home and away football games, competitions, performance evaluations, on special committees, on the Tate Band Booster board, and as a Tate Band Booster officer.
• Donate – We will ask for items for band camp, traveling, and special events. Some of the most common items we ask for are Gatorade powder, water, sodas, snacks, and food for hospitality rooms that we host during competitions.
• Fundraise – It’s necessary to fund the Tate Band Boosters account so that we can financially support the Showband’s mission. There will also be opportunities to fundraise for your child’s account. Those credits go directly into the student’s Showband account. Please note, if you leave the Showband, those credits cannot be paid out to you, per IRS regulations. The credits can go towards another student or back into the general booster account.  Overpayments can be refunded.
• Booster meetings – Attend them to keep up-to-date on all Tate Band Booster information.

All boosters, board members, and officers are volunteering their time and efforts to help the great Showband of the South. Please be gracious, as we are parents, too, and we have lives and responsibilities outside of the Showband. We support each other to ensure that the Showband of the South continues to thrive and provide an exceptional experience for our talented students. We look forward to seeing you at the booster meetings and events!