Help Don return to the Cadets in 2014!

This will be my fifth year participating in DCI and it has taken its financial toll quite heavily. I'm currently attending a community college while saving up money to pay for the continuance of my education at a four year university when the funds allow, leaving me severely unable to also afford to march without setting me back another couple of years.
I'm sharing this to humbly ask for your assistance, weather it's large or small. Every donation helps! Even if you cannot donate financially at this time, sharing this post with all of your friends will help me reach an even larger audience and would also be greatly appreciated. I want nothing more then to be able to march this year, and will be eternally grateful to anyone that helps make it happen. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

When I began my DCI career, I was a high school sophomore playing bass clarinet. My band director saw that Teal Sound was playing a progressive metal show, and they needed a bass player, so he told me! It was kind of a last minute decision. I found out at the end of may, and by early June I had moved in with Teal Sound in Thomasville, Georgia. After completing my first season in front ensemble, I knew I wanted to be in the hornline, so I began learning tuba as soon as I came back. Nine months later I began the 2011 season with the Colts as a member of their contra line. I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to march in 2012, but things took a turn for the better and I filled a hole in the Cadets contra line, where I hope to march this season and age out in 2015. After spending my freshman year of college studying music education, I have recently renounced clarinet playing in hopes to lead a better life. I am still a music education major, but my primary instrument is now bass trombone, and I couldn't be happier!


If you aren't quite sure what any of this means or what the Cadets are, please continue reading. It will all be explained in the next couple of paragraphs!

For the 2014 summer performance season, I am fortunate to have been selected as the contra section leader for The Cadets Drum Corps, which is based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This is a chance of a lifetime for me as both a brass musician, and as a young adult. The Cadets are one of the oldest and most honored drum & bugle corps in the entire world, entering their 80^th consecutive performance season. The Cadets are consistently among the top placing drum corps in the entire world, having claimed ten world championships and nineteen national championships in their rich history. Non-competitively, the Cadets have performed at high profile events such as the 1996 Olympics, the 2009 Inaugural Parade, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the Rededication of the Statue of Liberty, Late Night with David Letterman, MTV's TRL, NASCAR Events, the 2005 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and many more high-profile performances. Simply put, the Cadets are the best of the best!!


The Cadets are part of an entity called Drum Corps International. We will travel 17,000 miles across the country from June thru August, performing and competing from coast to coast in such venues as Lucas Oil Stadium, The Georgia Dome, The Alamo Dome, The Rose Bowl, Mile High Stadium, Giants Stadium, just to name a few. In order for each member to have this life-changing experience, it costs the organization approximately $9,000 per member. The actual organization does internally raise the funds for about $5,500 of this money. However, it is up to the member to raise the remaining $3,500 of these funds for participation. These fees help to cover expenses such as fuel, food, transportation, instruction, equipment, uniforms, and lodging.


At this point, I am asking with complete humility, for any help that you or your company can provide, in regard to a sponsorship towards my participation within this organization and great activity. I would be so very appreciative for any consideration you can contribute towards this life changing event, whether it is $1,$2,$5, $50 or $500!! My time with the Cadets has shown me that I will not only grow as a performer this summer, but I'll have a unique opportunity to transfer the skills and lessons I learn with The Cadets to grow as a person, and as someone who can make a positive contribution to the community, and the world!