The Importance of Fundraising

Your chapter probably has a lot of passionate people, with a lot of big goals. Maybe you want to repair some worn-out uniforms that your band has had to retire. Maybe you want to have a guest speaker come and talk to your band about some important topic. Or maybe you just want to buy a whole bunch of cookies and baked goods for your next concert reception. Whatever the case, it’s generally the case that, in order to provide the level of service that your chapter is striving for, you’re going to need money to pay for it. And in all likelihood, that money is going to come from your chapter’s fundraising efforts.

Now, not every service project needs to break the bank. There’s a huge number of ways that you can help your band purely through the time and energy of you and your fellow sisters. Some things, however, have costs that you simply can’t get around. These are often the big projects, the kinds of things that make people remember your chapter and the kinds of things that can have a tremendous impact.

There’s a huge number of ways to fundraise, and every chapter is in a different situation. No one fundraising event is going to be the right thing to do for every chapter. At Epsilon Theta, we work the concessions stands at various sporting events in the fall and spring. This isn’t going to work as well at a smaller school, like one that doesn’t have a basketball team or lacks a home arena. But no matter what your situation, there’s always ways for a chapter to fundraise, as long as there are creative and passionate sisters at that chapter.

Almost more important than simply having a fundraiser is being persistent in continuing them. One-off ideas for fundraising can be useful, but a recurring source of income for your chapter will allow your finances to constantly get better as time goes on, and allow you to provide more and more service to your band. When you’re considering what fundraising projects to focus on, take into account whether an idea has the possibility of working again and again.

Some fundraising projects might cost a bit to get started. Basic supplies might be needed, or the project itself might have some inherent costs. It’s important to analyze how much was spent on a project and compare it to how much the project ended up making, to ensure that the time and energy being spent is worthwhile. But even if the numbers aren’t as great as you might hope, don’t immediately toss out the idea. Once you’ve done a fundraising project once, your chapter will have the experience to go and do it better the next time, often for cheaper, and with better results. Persistence is key.

One of the Eight Essential Factors calls for us to have the fortitude and courage to see an idea, to seize upon it, and follow it wherever it may lead us in Tau Beta Sigma. Take this message, and tenaciously pursue your chapter’s next fundraising opportunity. With persistence, you will enable your chapter to become better and achieve even loftier goals.

The sisters and brothers of Epsilon Theta hard at work raising money.

Leaders Who Can Follow

I first took interest in Tau Beta Sigma during our chapter’s interest week this past fall.  Although I had a love for music and participation in [East Carolina University] ECU’s marching band, I was actually really unsure about joining a sorority.  However, by the time the interest week had ended, I knew that I definitely wanted to join this organization. Everyone I had met had wonderful personalities and I loved the ideals that Tau Beta Sigma stood for. Thankfully the chapter took notice and allowed me to go through the process of becoming a member within Tau Beta Sigma. While this was exciting, I had a lot of questions pop up in response to what we were taught about the organization. One of the purposes of TBS notably stood out to me:

“To develop leadership through active participation with the band, and through it, to strengthen those traits of conduct, thought, and idealism which characterize the responsible membership of the band.”

I believe that this is an incredibly important ideal and that everyone should work to embody the characteristics that define an exceptional leader.  Yet, at the same time I found this to be a little confusing. Our chapter’s president and VPM strongly encouraged my line and told us that we all needed to show initiative and leadership. While leadership is an important quality, I did not quite understand how we were all supposed to become leaders and show it at the same time. When thinking about this I envisioned a bunch of people arguing and telling each other what to do with nothing actually getting done. How can you have a functioning group when everyone is a leader and no one is a follower?

After thinking about this, I realized the flaw in my reasoning. Why should a leader and follower be mutually exclusive? It is just as important for a leader to understand how to listen and follow others. As a future educator, I know that leadership is the most important characteristic to have. Similarly, every great teacher and leader I have spoken with has told me that they learn just as much by listening to the ideas of their students. A good leader has the drive to work towards a goal, but a great leader knows how to work with others and put in the work while listening to others in order to achieve it.

Sisters of Iota Nu at East Carolina University

Nothing Was the Same

I decided to rush a sorority. I did not know what that meant.

I tend to think:

It meant that Tau Beta Sigma will no longer be the marching band’s service group but instead a sisterhood that I would be privileged enough to be considered a membership candidate and eventually a sister.

It meant that the number five will no longer be the halfway mark between zero and ten and the price of a foot long at subway, but five reasons I love Tau Beta Sigma, five qualities that will make me a better person, and eventually an amazing sister.

It meant that the term “eight factors” will no longer seem like parts of a math problem, but eight ways I see myself improving my life, eight reasons I think Tau Beta Sigma has made a permanent impact on me, and eight reasons that I see every sister as a person with amazing potential and so much love.

It meant that January 27^th of 2015 was no longer a regular day on the calendar for me, but instead a day I received an invitation (bid) to change my life. A day I was given the chance to attempt joining on what I now understand is one of the greatest bonds out there.

It means rituals no longer seem like a terrifying word, degrees don’t make me think of temperature, and MC doesn’t mean master of ceremonies.

It meant turtles aren’t just my mother’s favorite animal, pineapples are not just my roommate’s favorite fruit, and eighth note isn’t just a part of music.

It meant that Theta Lambda was no longer two letters in the Greek alphabet, but a place where I call home to my journey in the sisterhood.

So if anyone had to ask me, (a MC whose only been through 2 degrees, been in marching band for one year at a major university, been to the Southeast District Leadership Conference, and have been in the process of becoming a sister for 35 out of the 76 days until initiation.)

I would tell you that TBS, in this small time, has already given me courage (to be myself and to go for what I want), confidence (not only in myself and my actions, but that someone will support me), a musical and sisterly bond with so many people, and that you are making a choice that will forever change your life.

By: Do’Nyal Webb

Maintence of the Highest Instrumental Standards

Theta Zeta’s Instrument Maintenance Program

While reflecting on our very hectic band season and thinking about which programs we wanted to share with our brothers and sisters of the SED, we remembered a conversation that we shared with our band director before the start of the season.  Dr. Kenneth G. Ruff, Director of Bands at North Carolina A&T State University, expressed his dismay at the cost of instrumental repairs for the past school year. The sisters of Theta Zeta, wanting to make a difference in the excessive amount of money spent each year on repairs, came to the realization that the best way to avoid costly expenditures on instrument repairs was to prevent our colleagues from destroying them in the first place!

During the second week of the Blue and Gold Marching Machine Summer Band Camp, the Theta Zeta Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma hosted an Instrument Maintenance Program for all band members. We divided the band into three sections: wind players, auxiliary, and percussion. We invited a guest speaker from Moore’s Music Store in Greensboro, NC to the band room to teach the wind players how to clean and maintain their instruments. After our guest’s presentation, we further divided the group into woodwinds, high brass and low brass. For each of the sections, there were three sisters who demonstrated how to clean the horns for our visual learners in the band. As they demonstrated, the audience was allowed to ask questions in order to clear up any myths and questions about keeping their instruments in good condition.

In the percussion segment, two sisters initiated a round-table discussion with the drumline about the “DOs and DON’Ts” of caring for their drums and cymbals. Some of the topics we discussed were never placing the drum on rocky areas, washing their straps, using sticks not compromised by cracks and splinters, and polishing their cymbals. The percussion section enthusiastically engaged in this topic, making our job easy, fun, and a great way to bond with our bandmates.

At first, we thought about excluding the auxiliary section from the program because they do not use musical instruments, but we realized their body IS their instrument. For this reason, we used the time to teach the dancers stretching, relaxation, and appropriate body mechanics to maintain their health and prevent injuries throughout the marching season. We also gave them a tour of where all the flags and props were located. The auxiliary portion of our program ended with a hands-on demonstration of how to properly change and secure different flags so our dancers could do it on their own throughout the season.

At the conclusion of the program, each member of the band received a handout that included a list of tips on how to take care of his or her respective instrument and a healthy snack. The program was a huge success and we look forward to see a significant decrease in this year’s total instrument repair cost.

Sheneka Jones

Theta Zeta

“Music Our Common Tie”

Music: a common denominator between us all as members of Tau Beta Sigma or Kappa Kappa Psi, yet as a sister in school, music is not an area of study for me. How does a sister or brother grow in an organization dedicated to music while having different career goals?

I will be the first to say music is a passion of mine and has played a large role in my life. My senior year of high school I got a tattoo to commemorate not only the dedication I gave to music in high school, but also as a promise to continue music in my life and in the future. As a Microbiology and Immunology major and Chemistry minor, I seemed like the last candidate for an organization built around music. Despite the doubt of being a science major in a music organization, I became a sister. Now, every week I go to chapter and share my passion for music with my wonderful sisters. TBS has given me the chance to grow and learn about myself by becoming a sister and the experiences I have had are priceless. I go to my science classes during the school day and I do my labs and experiments, but this becomes monotonous. Through TBS I have found an outlet filled with love, support, and music. It makes me happy to share sisterhood, music, and service with other like-minded people.

Exchanging ideas and thoughts about these topics with other people with different backgrounds and perspectives is an enlightening experience that I think is important in becoming a diverse and open-minded person, as well as learning how to solve chapter issues as a team and working to come up with solutions to these issues. As you may have noticed, these things are not music exclusive but are experiences of life. We become sisters not because of our area of study or expertise, but because we come together through our shared love of music, sisterhood, and service. TBS and KKY are organizations where men and women from all different backgrounds can come together under uniting principals and grow not only as a team, but as individuals in life. The people I have met through my short time in TBS have taught me more than I think they know, and though I am a science major there are some things that simply cannot be taught in a classroom.

Written by:

Alyson Essex
Band Captain for the Frost Band of the Hour
Tau Beta Sigma – Gamma Epsilon Fall 2013
Eighth Note Committee Member

Becoming a Brother – Iota Zeta Edition

Brothers of Iota Zeta posing

“From outside of the bond to being in the bond, an expose on becoming a “good bruh” Iota Zeta Edition”

When I first decided to attend North Carolina A&T University, it was a last minute decision. The only research I did prior to orientation was to acquaint myself with the engineering program. I knew nothing about the Blue and Gold Marching Machine, let alone the organization Kappa Kappa Psi. Although band was pretty new to me, (having learned my instrument late in high school) I decided to become a collegiate marching band member in the fall. My only relation to band in college was my cousin who was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and said he could put me in touch with some of his brothers in Greensboro. I knew absolutely no one when I matriculated into NCA&T.

The first time I met the brothers was in band camp. They were helping the freshman move into their dorms. I mentioned who my cousin was to them and they instantly took me under their wing. They referred to him as “the good bruhs”. I had no idea what it meant, but it must have been a highly esteemed compliment. From then on, brothers looked out for me and helped me with even the most trivial of matters without hesitation. Whether it was financially, academically, musically, or even just advice in general, nothing was out of reach.

My first impression was that being a brother (or associated with the brotherhood) created a familiar relationship between people who seemed to have no previously shared background. I was not even a brother yet, but the kinship of the brotherhood was still extended towards me. Growing up as the only son in a single parent home left me without an older brother or father figure for the majority of my life. My mother did an exceptional job playing both roles, but still in some instances, could not fill the void that existed in my journey to manhood. My cousins were the closest thing I had to brothers, but our time together was only spent through occasional circumstances. As a result when I came to college I naturally gravitated towards this feeling of family that radiated easily from the brother of Kappa Kappa Psi.

Going through my first fall semester, I began to notice even more things about the brothers. Not only were they exceptional musicians and great leaders in the band, they were the “who’s-who” or very important figures throughout campus. All with different majors, and hailing from different climbs of life, they were referred to as the top of their class. They were known and spoken well of throughout the community, always exceling in their field of endeavor. Through witnessing the example the brothers set, the term “good bruhs” was no longer a mysterious concept to me.

When I first decided to seek membership for Kappa Kappa Psi, my big brother told me to do my research to see if it was something I really wanted to be a part of. Reading through the guide to membership, I ran across the Fraternal Code of Conduct. Reading it helped me truly understand why the brothers acted the way they did towards me.

“Brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi are looked to as role models and leaders by other members in the band and on campus. We can never know who is watching our actions or who will be affected by our
deeds. It is therefore essential that we present positive qualities at all times. Being a Brother is not a part time commitment.”

Many may be wondering why I told this personal story. I told this to help to help fully illustrate the lesson those brothers taught me. They taught me that being a brother is not just an action or actions that you do because the guide says so but it is a lifestyle you live because you genuinely strive to become a better brother every day. I learned that the characteristics and traits that are instilled as a result of being a part of the fraternity is something that exceeds band and flows over into our daily life. It is shown through the people you meet. And that is what drew me in and gave me that family presence that I was longing for, it was their genuine desire as brothers to be loyal, dependable, and to have integrity to treat me as an equal even though they had no idea who I was.

And through that relationship I had as a freshman I can now look back on it as on old brother now and fully understand why they took me in. It is because they were not just doing the actions, it’s because they were living the actions set in the guide to membership and fraternal code of conduct and setting that standard of excellence around our peers to create a legacy for other to follow.

So I leave you with this question. What type of brother are you? Are you one who just does the bare minimum to get by or are you one who strives every day to make the guidelines set in the guide to membership a life style you live by? May I suggest that it is only once you begin to make it a lifestyle can you can truly experience brotherhood and share it with others as it was done for me.

Joseph Carey-Oduniyi
Kappa Kappa Psi SED Vice-President 2013-2014
Iota Zeta Chapter Spring ‘10
North Carolina A&T State University

Grasping Technology in the Chapter

Grasping Technology in the Chapter

As we are well into an era of growing technologies that lead to much efficiency, we must take the time to embrace the innovations that are available to us. For so many years, we have utilized the tangible and confident pen and paper to record our documents, our budgets, our programs, our communication and our history. And while many of those items should be preserved for historical sake, they are obsolete in the functions of today’s chapter.
Tools such as Microsoft’s Excel and Word, Google’s Docs and Sheets, Outlook, Gmail, Powerpoint, online banking, etc. are all examples of some of the technologies that we can use to make our chapter and district communication and functions more efficient, effective, and productive. The power that Google, in particular, has given us to share ideas, documents, and presentations allows chapters to communicate all of these things instantly. Google sheets, in particular, allows for an instant excel format that can be shared with multiple people. It also creates a database for forms that can communicate interest and execution in service events, fundraising, social activities, etc. Fortunately, Google’s interface is very user friendly that allows people across all fields of expertise to use this technology.
The beauty of communication across multiple mediums, particularly email, has created a method of quick and effective communication not only between individuals in the chapter, but those outside the chapter, other chapters and the district as a whole. Google groups allow forums for particular groups. Expanding beyond email to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Groupme, etc. combines functional communication with our daily lives and with an increasing number of people with smartphones, those methods are that much closer to our hands.
The issue that arises is that some of the district embraces this collection of innovation, while others do not and it creates a great disconnect for communication. Every chapter should at least participate in the communications that the district uses even if the functions within the chapter may be vastly different. Many chapters are enthusiastic to provide helpful advice on how to utilize these technologies on small or large scales.
Technology is only going to continue to move forward and the Southeast District will continue as well. Seek advice and embrace what is before us. Learn from your Brothers and hop on this technological train.

Dustin Ingram
2013-2014 Southeast District Secretary/Treasurer

Two Things Every Senior Needs to do After Graduation

 

           

    Graduation can be both a thrilling and uncertain time, and that time is filled with change. The people you see on a daily or weekly basis may change, as could the place you call home. Your role in Kappa Kappa Psi will certainly change as you transition from Active to Alumni status, but you will find comfort in that your involvement is far from over. In fact, there are two things that every Brother should do immediately after accepting your well-deserved diploma.

1)      Join (or Start) the Chapter’s Local Alumni Association (LAA)

Your Active Chapter can benefit from the love of supportive Alumni, especially if those Alumni are organized and unified. Whether your Chapter’s Alumni have been organized for years, or if there is no organization currently, this is the perfect outlet to continue involvement in Kappa Kappa Psi. This continued involvement is needed!

2)      Join the Southeast District Alumni Association (SEDAA)

In addition to continuing work to support your Chapter, you can (and need) to support the Southeast District as an Alumnus. The infrastructure within and between the Alumni Associations is young and is beginning to take form. Therefore, a liaison between your LAA and SEDAA would provide invaluable assistance to both organizations in working towards individual and mutual goals. This essential relationship can also provide the National Alumni Association insight into how individual LAAs operate.

Your duty to Kappa Kappa Psi does not end at graduation; it is a commitment that lasts a lifetime. All Brothers, Active and Alumni, are called to work hard and strive together. Graduating seniors, your Brothers need you, and our success depends on you.

AEA,

Kevin Diana

Alpha Eta Chapter Alumnus

 

Advice from the SED Member-At-Large

            As I began to write this article, I wanted to write something that would encourage and inspire.  I would love to see brothers and sisters more excited and motivated to better shape our chapters in the district.  To do so, I began to think more about who we are. One can learn the history and memorize facts, but until one can grasp those concepts into something concrete and practical, one can run the risk of missing out on the bigger picture.

 

1. Ambassadors of Music

 

            The definition most suiting for this context is “an authorized messenger or representative.”  We have the esteemed privilege to be a spokesperson for one of the greatest art forms ever bestowed upon man.  Music has the ability to stir emotions and ideas in the hearts and minds of even the coldest of people.  Music is a gateway to a world of expression.  Our duties include representing music.  We show people the wonderful harmony that music gives not only through the notes but also with character.  We know that music is more than just notes on a page but rather an overall contour of melodies and harmonies cooperating, blending, building, and bringing us home.  Our duty is to be as music does and take the random craziness of life and blend the mess into a work worthy of satisfaction.

 

2.  Servants of a Craft and Its Craftsman

 

            Most hear servants and develop negative thoughts based on the human tendency to rebel against things not related to self.  However, one wise man said that the greatest among us were servants.  Being a servant to one another does not mean servitude or bondage.  Thinking in the view of military service, mortuary services, medical services, even maid service, one can expand on the view of servants.  This view of service means that we should look for ways to enhance ourselves and the people we come into contact with.  Looking at this in the aspect of the band world, service is not just setting up for concerts.  Service is walking into the band office and brightening the day of the staff by saying, “Good morning.  How are you?”  Service is hearing someone play a measure or two wrong and helping them, not making fun of them.  My life goal is to not simply be a person who lived and died, but rather one who left society with a legacy.  Service is about putting oneself out in order to help light the way for someone else.

 

3.  Leaders of the Brightest

 

            As musicians, we statistically have higher intellectual capabilities than non-musicians (though that is not always the case during finals week).  As brothers and sisters we are the leaders of the brightest.  We have the opportunity to influence the band program in little and big ways.  We teach our members about the qualities of leadership and brotherhood.  We instill a sense of pride for being able to see through the darkness and receive the wisdom of Music.  As leaders of the brightest to step foot on college campuses, we should always carry ourselves in such a way that we make ourselves available to lead.  In fact, leadership goes back to service.  As leaders, our role is to adhere to the needs of those that we lead. 

 

4. Striving for the Highest

           

            We are constantly trying to obtain the level of excellence and reach even further.  It is our job to uphold the idea of reaching for something that is higher than you can ever imagine.  In the band setting it is making sure that each program has a desire and a niche for who we are and what we provide.  Making sure that each program can be the absolute best it can be, is our mission and something that defines our niche.  However, the thought of striving for the highest does not stop there.  Working to be the best at whatever one does, is a goal that we as humans strive for.  I believe that we should apply it in whatever we do so that we may reach beyond anything that our goals and dreams could fathom.  Constantly diving for the obtainable will lead to buried riches.  Putting forth the determination and dedication will tidy up the rest so you may progress and be the very best.

Pink in the Sky Breast Cancer Awareness Balloon Releasing Ceremony

Every year in October the nation is decorated pink to honor those with or those we have lost to breast cancer. Here at Winston-Salem State University there are so many programs and fundraisers held in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Some of the programs and fundraisers include awareness forums, selling candy, and candle lightings. As a chapter we decided that we wanted to create something unique. Something that would stand out amongst the numerous programs already given on campus. Something that would not only recognize those fighting breast cancer but also pay homage to those who lost their battle. After brainstorming and coming up with numerous ideas in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we finally settled on an idea titled “Pink in the Sky.”

 

Balloons being released into the sky at the Clock Tower of Winston Salem State University.

The idea of “Pink in the Sky” was created two years ago by Sister Jasmine Page, a spring 2011 initiate in our chapter. “Pink in the Sky” is a balloon releasing ceremony for those suffering from breast cancer. Our event allows those in attendance to release all doubts that there will one day be a cure and to release the heartache of those they have lost to breast cancer. Since then we have made an obligation to make the event annually. The event is held at our university’s Clock Tower, which is the heart of our campus. It became the perfect location to grab the student’s attention and have them stop and see what our event was about. At the event there is an opening prayer to give hope that one day there will be a cure and a speech that gives statistics on the disease and the importance of annual checkups for women. We then have a brief moment of silence to remember those who lost the battle to breast cancer. We wrap up our event with a pink balloon release. We pass out balloons to those who attend our event and allow them to write the names of loved ones, words of encouragement, or something inspirational. It is amazing to see the many balloons floating in the air and the look of peace on the face of those in attendance.

“Pink in the Sky” is an important event not only because we are able to spread awareness of breast cancer to our university but because it has a deep underling meaning to our band program. Many of our bandsmen know someone that has been or is affected by Breast Cancer. We believe as a chapter that if there is something that affects our band program that much, then it deserves to be showcased. The Winston Salem State University “Red Sea of Sound” is more than just a band program, we are a family. When one of us hurts, we all hurt. We felt that it was our obligation to bring awareness to this heartbreaking disease while educating ourselves and our fellow bandsmen.

We would like to expand the event and have more students on our campus involved as well as the surrounding communities and band programs. It is our hope to continue having “Pink in the Sky” in honor of Breast Cancer and improve the event by the ideals set for Tau Beta Sigma.

Theta Upsilon, Winston Salem State University