BAD NEWS FOLKS... PEP BAND AT HARTLAND IS CANCELLED (Explanation Below)

 Hello Everyone,

If you would like the TLDR (Too Long, Didn't Read) version,  here it is:

1)  I just was (2 hours ago) told I can only take 35 people to the game at Hartland (70 signed up)

+

1)  75% chance of rain

= 2)... We aren't going tomorrow night.  Pep band at Hartland is cancelled.  :(

From what I understand, if Howell wins and Holt wins, we will have a home game next week, which we will definitely play at (for at least the start of the game) rain or shine.  I am very sorry if you made plans or bought tickets to see your child perform tomorrow night.  If you would like a detailed explanation keep reading.  If you are super upset, please calm down first, then give me a call and we can work something out. 

Explanations:

A.   Rain and away games don't mix.  If it's a home game, we can at least begin the game because we have a place to go if it rains.  At an away sight, we don't have that luxury.  We also have the challenge of every child having a different ride situation and I never want to have a kid stranded in the rain.  Again, we always at least try to get a home game in, but away games just aren't worth the risk.

B. Even if we were going to try and go, I still would have to cut 35 kids (70 signed up, and Howell only received 350 tickets for the game).  I would not blame our athletic department or Hartland's either.  It sounds like MHSAA was late getting the ticket info out.  Had we known earlier in the week, I could have made it work, but that coupled with strong possibility of rain brought me to the decision we have.  

C. Why didn't we wait and see? Because by letting you know right now, you have a chance to hopefully change your plans.  I have found over the last 20 months or so that people just want a decision, and that uncertainty is at least half of what is making everyone so edgy... ok maybe 40%.  For what it's worth, I had to say no to a rehearsal dinner for a wedding that my wife is in because of pep band and I can't change my rsvp now, so I feel for you all.

-Smigell 

MARCHING BAND: PEP BAND 10/29 * FANTASY OF LIGHTS PARADE * PICTURE ORDERS DUE 11/4

 SEE 10/28 BLOG POST!  PEP BAND CANCELLED!  Pep Band (Marching Band) vs. Hartland: Friday, October 29th:

HHS Football is in the play-offs!!!

When: Friday Night - October 29th @ 6:30pm to approximately 9pm (unless a shut out, weather, time outs, etc.)

Where: Hartland High School - 10635 Dunham Rd. Hartland 48353 // Meeting at Visitors Gate

What (to wear / bring): Instrument, Flip-Folder of Music (Upperclassmen bring any extra music you have from the past years to help with the new members), things your instrument may need (extra reeds, valve oil, etc.) and you MUST wear this seasons' MB shirt (WE RISE).

• Pep Band is not required - it goes towards your band letter / medals and it is fun. ^.^ It's marching band but you don't play at half time or pre-game!  
• Because this is a play-off game, the MHSAA is handling ticket sales.  Marching band members do NOT need a ticket to get in but family, friends, etc. must purchase tickets on-line BEFORE the game!  Tickets will NOT be available at the gate.
• Ticket info:  To purchase tickets go to www.gofan.co and search for Howell High School and select the football game from the menu.  You may also click on this link to go directly to the page  Howell vs Hartland Football Ticket Link

• Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from Hartland HS (ask if you need a ride - Smigell will help you find a ride with another student (don't be afraid to ask)). 

• Be sure to bring home your instrument Friday after school - there will be no way to get into the band room Friday evening (and remember to bring them back to school on Monday). Parents are welcome to cheer on the band / football team.

FANTASY OF LIGHTS PARADE

The Fantasy of Lights (FOL) Parade is Friday, November 26th.  

Report time:  4:45 pm (Grand River closes at 5 p.m. from Highlander Way to National St.)
Busses and trailer leave high school for parade:  5:30 pm
Parade starts at 7 p.m.

Practices for marching band for FOL are November 11, 16 and 18

• This year, the band boosters will be decorating our band trailer with lights galore for the parade.  If you and/or your student are interested in helping with this fun project, please email Jamie Miller at jamiehoward85@gmail.com or text her at 248-792-1184.

Marching Band Photo Orders - DUE NOV. 4TH!

• ORDERS & PAYMENT DUE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH!! Dan Zeppa from DZ Productions/Photography took photos of our entire marching band and individual photos, if requested.  If you are ordering individual photos, please include your image number on the order form (if you already turned in your order form without the image number, that's okay. I"ll fill that in for you)!
• SENIORS!  You can order a 30 x 42 banner with grommets for $40 $30!  Great for grad parties!  Sample is on the back of the order form or here:  CLICK HERE FOR SENIOR BANNER SAMPLE!
• ORDER FORMS available in the band room or by clicking here:  CLICK HERE FOR MARCHING BAND PHOTO ORDER FORM!
• IMAGE #'S FOR INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS WILL BE AVAILABLE FRIDAY 10/29!

BAND CALENDAR / MB PHOTOS & SCHEDULE / FUNDRAISERS / K-WING BATTLE!

BAND CALENDAR

November

3rd:  Remote Learning Day
5th:   1/2 day school
5th - 7th:  "A Midsummer Night's Dream" presented by HHS Drama in the Rod Bushey Auditorium
10th:  Band Booster Meeting - 7 pm in the band room

11, 16, 18:  Fantasy of Lights Parade practice (2:30 to 3:30 pm) - Marching Band
24 - 28:  No School - Thanksgiving break
26:  Fantasy of Lights parade 

December
8th:  Holiday Concert at 7 pm in the Rod Bushey Auditorium
20th - Jan. 2nd:  Holiday Break - no school!

Marching Band Photo Orders - DUE NOV. 4TH!

• ORDERS & PAYMENT DUE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH!! Dan Zeppa from DZ Productions/Photography took photos of our entire marching band and individual photos, if requested.  If you are ordering individual photos, please include your image number on the order form (if you already turned in your order form without the image number, that's okay. I"ll fill that in for you)!
• SENIORS!  You can order a 30 x 42 banner with grommets for $30!  Great for grad parties!  Sample is on the back of the order form or here:  CLICK HERE FOR SENIOR BANNER SAMPLE!
• ORDER FORMS available in the band room or by clicking here:  CLICK HERE FOR MARCHING BAND PHOTO ORDER FORM!

Marching Band Schedule?

We will let you know as soon as we have more information about possible home football play-off games.  The first round play-off schedule will not be determined until this weekend or Monday 10/25.  We would perform as a "pep band" for any home play-off games.  

We are currently not having marching band practices until the Fantasy of LIghts parade practices which are November 11, 16 and 18.  The parade is on November 26th.  This is totally optional but lots of marching band students like to participate in this. I'll let everyone know as soon as we have the playoff schedule. Stay tuned for more info!"

FUNDRAISERS!

• SCRIP PROGRAM

PAY FOR BAND CAMP AND OTHER BAND EXPENSES BY SHOPPING!

How much money do you spend in a month for regular expenses-  $600 for groceries, $200 for gas, $100 dining out…?  If you paid for those regular expenses using a gift card purchased from the HHS Band Scrip Program, you would get a rebate on each purchase, a rebate that  goes straight into your student's CHARMS account. You could easily pay your entire Band Camp bill just by spending the money you have to spend anyway- for whatever you need wherever you normally shop.

HHS Band Scrip uses the Great Lakes Scrip Center for ordering cards. 

CLICK HERE FOR SCRIPS INFORMATION!

Beth Wagner is in charge of the SCRIPS program - you can email her at lisbethwagner@yahoo.com with any questions.

Once you learn how the ordering system works, this is the easiest money you will ever earn for band expenses. And you earn the rebates on money you have to spend anyway. Put your spending to work for you!

• AMAZON SMILES

If you already shop on Amazon, this is an easy way to earn money for the band program! If you have not already used the AmazonSmile program, you can select Howell Band Boosters as your beneficiary, and every time you shop on Amazon, you raise funds in support of band initiatives. Thanks to the efforts of parents and students, this year we are able to dedicate $1,500 to new, drum major podiums and $1,500 for marching band scholarships.

Once you set eligible purchases at AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price to the customer's selected charitable organization. 

• In order to participate, you can use our unique charity link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/46-4579875

This link will take you directly to smile.amazon.com in support of your organization so they won’t have to search for your charity among almost a million other organizations. You will not see “Howell Band Boosters.” Instead you’ll see "Parent Booster USA Inc” in Howell MI. This is normal and expected.

BAND VS. CHOIR!

Join us as we fight the K-wing battle against choir!  We are collecting items for Clara's Hope: https://www.clarashope.org/  The class with the most "points" wins!  See the flyer for more info:

CLICK HERE FOR INFO ABOUT THE K-WING BATTLE! AND SUPPORTING CLARA'S HOPE!

Sad News of Sue Baker's Passing

 

Hello Howell Band Family,

It is with profound sadness that I inform you all of the passing of our dear band nurse, Susan Baker.  Sue was our camp nurse for all 21 of our band camps while I have been the director, both home and away.  Her service included the past two years during the pandemic.  Sue also served as a nurse on all but one of our spring band trips to New York, Boston, and Chicago.  Her "day job" obviously was being a nurse, and as I recall it included serving with distinction in the University of Michigan Health System in a variety of capacities.  Both of Sue's kids were in the Howell band program, Charlene on flute and Russell on euphonium, and I am heartbroken for both of them. 

You'll notice the words "serve" and "service" keep coming up in my description of her.  That's because she had a big heart and dedicated her life to helping people.  I cannot count how many times.. ok I actually can, I sent that woman dozens of times to the emergency room with kids ailing from a variety of maladies: Heat exhaustion, bad colds, sprains, broken bones, throwing up, bee sting reactions, rashes... the list goes on and on.  I once sent Sue with a kid and a garbage bag via taxicab to a hospital in the middle of Manhattan.  I went with her and the kid when I could but most times it just her and the child.  That's the kind of lady she was.   

I'm proud to have worked with her and I am proud to have been her friend. I'm still shocked she's gone and I'm going to miss her terribly. 

I've spoken with the family and public is welcome to her memorial service if you would like to pay your respects.  I've included a link to the information.  Donations will go toward her granddaughter's college fund. 

 Susan Baker Memorial info

    

MARCHING BAND PRACTICE CANCELLED TODAY! BAND CONCERT IS HAPPENING!

Due to the early dismissal for Howell High School, marching band practice is cancelled for today 10/5!

The concert for tonight 10/5 is still happening!  

• Students need to be in the band room and ready to warm up at 6:30 pm.  Please allow extra time for travel to the high school as there may be residual traffic slow-downs due to President Biden's visit near the high school.

Let me know if you have any questions by emailing me at ALLEGOEL@HOWELLSCHOOLS.COM  Thank you! - Laura Allegoet

Yes there is practice tonight!

 Hello all!

We are going to do the smart thing.  We will practice tonight and make it the inside rehearsal we were going to have tomorrow.  Tomorrow’s rehearsal will be outside.  We might not go the full time and might stop around 8 (for tonight’s rehearsal) 

Ok see you there… 

-Smigell 

CONCERT 10/5 & SENIOR NIGHT 10/8!

Senior Night - vs. Novi: Friday, October 8th

PLEASE NOTE:  Earlier report times!  It's senior night!

Report Time: 4:00pm ***ON THE FIELD*** 

Tailgate: 4:45 (If you or your parents volunteered to bring stuff for it, please remember ^.^)

Uniforms / Senior Pictures: 5:30 / 5:45 pm

Step Off: 6:00pm

Senior Family Meeting Up: 6:10pm* at the Gate near the Scoreboard

Senior Walk: 6:15pm

Pregame: 6:45pm - MB Performs Pregame Show

Kickoff: 7:00pm - MB Performs During Halftime

Game Ends: ~9:00pm-ish (Depending on timeouts, injuries, etc.)

• If you are walking/want to walk with the band over to the field - you still have to pay admission at the ticket booth before you can meet up with your Senior student at the Scoreboard gate. It is important to be lined up before the Senior Walk starts to prevent any issues.

Tailgate for Friday, October 8th @4:45pm:

Everyone needs to bring $3 per person please if you are not donating something or helping with something (listed on the Sign Up link). You can drop off money early in an envelope in the mailbox in the band room w/your name (and your families names) on it. This helps with the extra costs needed to feed everyone. Thanks!

Sign Ups for what is needed for the tailgate is here:

• CLICK HERE TO HELP OR DONATE FOR TAILGATE
  

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Senior Recognition:  Line-Up Survey/Form

• Seniors ONLY - please fill this out to the fullest. This form is due by Wednesday, October 6th. This gives us enough time to compile and hand in Friday morning.

SENIORS: CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE GOOGLE FORM FOR SENIOR RECOGNITION CEREMONY BEFORE THE FOOTBALL GAME ON 10/8!

MARCHING BAND PHOTOS

• Order forms, along with the due date, will be available in the band room and here on the band blog once we have the proofs from Mr. Zeppa.  At that time, if your student had individual pictures taken, their "Image #" will be available in the band room so you can complete the order form.
• Payment is due along with the order form.  Due date TBD.

FALL BAND CONCERT - TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5TH AT 7 PM IN THE AUDITORIUM (Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Highlander Band, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble & Marching Band perform)

• Students report to the band room at 6:30 pm dressed in "casual dress" attire (this includes polo or other collared shirts, dress pants, dresses).  No jeans, t-shirts or athletic wear!
• Students won't wear the black pants, white tuxedo shirt and bow tie until the holiday concert in December. We'll have information on where to get attire in mid-October.
• There is no cost to attend the concert.  Reserved seating is also not needed for this concert.
• The marching band will be performing during the concert so help is needed with uniform distribution and collection.  Click below for details and to sign up to help:

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO HELP WITH UNIFORMS AT OUR FALL CONCERT ON 10/5