Thanks for a great drill camp

From all reports (which is all I have to offer after spending the weekend with my other kids on the far north side of Chicago while the corps was on the far south side -- an hour away even by traffic-free freeway), drill camp in Chicago Heights was a super time for Colts and volunteers. (I haven't been in contact with my staff sources, so I can't speak for them. Anybody want to weigh in?)

The facility worked well, with at least as much room at the school for an indoor "field" as at the Sterling facility we've been to the past few years and lots more other room for rehearsals, volunteers, cooking, sewing, etc. Be sure to say thanks to Sarah for having us visit her school.

Thanks to all the volunteers who showed up for the first road trip of the 2008 tour. Lots of cooking. Lots of flag sewing. Lots of other stuff (guard gun stripping and painting, for instance.) This corps thing depends you -- the volunteers who will follow the Colts anywhere and support the members.

The corps played and marched for Sunday afternoon's show. The drill was described as "fast" and "cool." Can't wait to see it myself. (It may warm up enough in Dubuque to see some of it outside by the end of April but the way things have gone this winter and spring, I wouldn't hold my breath.) No one I've talked to had a negative thing to say about the weekend.

I'd appreciate it if those of you who were there would let me know just how great is was to be there. Or just leave a comment and have your own say.

Drill camp schedule

Friday
8 p.m. Move in
8:30 Registration (registration actually was moved to snack)
9:30 Sectionals/brass in field house one; percussion in field house two)
11:30 Snack (in building 3)
12:30 a.m. Lights out

Saturday
8 a.m. Wake/eat
9 Cals on indoor field
9:45 Marching basics (all in main fieldhouse)
10:45 Assign numbers and hand out drill dots. Go over teaching process
11 Set up “Starting line”! (teach drill)
12:30 p.m. Lunch
1:30 Visual – all
5:30 Dinner
6:30 Meeting for everyone – indoor field
7 Visual – all
10 Snack
11 Lights out

Sunday
8 Wake/eat (Roll up bags and move as much of your personal belongings to your vehicles as possible. If you did not drive, place along wall)
9 Cals – indoor field
9:45 Sectionals – indoor field
11:15 March and play
12 Lunch
1 p.m. Visual ensemble on indoor field
2:45 Final run through of show
3 Final meetings, announcements
3:15 – 4 Clean, pack, load

Next rehearsal is April 27-29 in Dubuque. Debut weekend!

Drill camp menu

Friday snack
Hot dogs
Chips

Saturday breakfast
French toast
Fruit

Saturday lunch
Pulled pork
Pasta salad
Green beans

Saturday dinner
Stew
Biscuits
Lettuce salad
Peaches

Saturday snack
Sub sandwiches
Tomato soup
Chicken noodle soup

Sunday breakfast
Egg bake
Sausage

Sunday lunch
Lasagna
Bread sticks
Lettuce salad
Pudding cup

My set of March camp photos

I finally got my act together and posted my pictures from March camp. The link is in the right sidebar.

More March camp photos

Rod R. has sent in a great set of photos from the March camp in Dubuque. Click on the link in the right sidebar to see them.

Drum Corps Lingo

There is a fun posting on DCI.org called "Do You Speak Drum Corps?" It could be helpful reading for new parents who might not know the lingo we use in corps. This also proves there is such a thing as a "box 5" meal... and someone last year thought we were pulling her leg!

March camp tidbits

Dan B. has posted a gallery of March camp pictures. (The link is in the right sidebar. Go take a look.)

And don't miss the comments on the posting below. (So go click already)

The Virtual Cooktruck 'Chillin on the West Coast' Crew

Thanks for a great March camp!

First off, something that I regularly neglect until someone else does it for me. A huge thank you to all the volunteers at March camp. We couldn’t do it without you – and wouldn’t want to!

Whether you cooked, sewed, helped at check-in, cleaned, painted, sold souvies, or did any of the other things that got accomplished over the weekend, the Colts and the corps’ volunteer organization appreciate all your efforts.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming. (There’ll be pictures, even though I missed most of camp celebrating birthdays. But we’re in California working at the moment and ….)

March Camp Menu

Friday snack
Nachos

Saturday breakfast
Pancakes
Bacon
Cereal

Saturday lunch
Hamburgers
Pasta salad
Corn
Fruit cup

Saturday dinner
Ham
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Carrots
Cake

Saturday snack
Corn dogs
Veggies and dip

Sunday breakfast
Egg McMonas
Cereal

Sunday lunch
Chicken teriyaki
Rice
Green beans
Lettuce salad



March camp schedule

Friday, March 7
7:30 p.m. Unload equipment/registration
9 Full corps meeting in gym
9:30 Rehearsal
10 Parents meeting
11:30 Snack
12:30 a.m. Lights out (everybody in main gym because of the cold)

Saturday
8 a.m. Wake/eat
9 Brass/percussion stretch in main gym; guard depart for rehearsal facility
9:45 Brass (music); percussion marching; pit in cafeteria
12 Lunch for brass/percussion
1 p.m. Low brass – marching; high brass – music; percussion in music rooms
1:15 Guard lunch at Fulton
3:30 Low brass – music; high brass – marching; percussion in music rooms
5:30 Guard returns for dinner
6 Dinner
6:15 Full staff meeting in music room
7 Full corps meeting in gym
7:30 Guard depart for rehearsal; music ensemble in main gym
9:30 Full brass (movement) main gym
10:30 Guard departs for Washington school
10:45 Snack
11:30 Lights out

Sunday
8 Wake/eat (daylight saving time)
9 Brass/perc stretch in gym; guard in aux gym
9:45 Guard in main gym; brass music; perc in music rooms; pit in cafeteria
11:15 Lunch; front ensemble move to main gym
12:15 Guard in aux gym
12:30 Perc in main gym
12:45 Music ensemble
2 p.m. Dog and pony performance
3 Meeting
3:15 Clean/pack
4 Dismissed

Yipee! . . . It's Camp Week

And it looks like the weather is going to cooperate.

There is an updated Cook Calendar 2008 on the right listed in the Links. Take a look and pick your favorite time to tour on the cooktruck. Thanks to everybody that has already volunteered. It is greatly appreciated by the kids.

After this weekend, we will be on tour in less than 80 days. If you are coming to camp, track me down to discuss when you can tour. Or if you are not going to be there, I'm always available at colts.cooks@comcast.net.

Bill

Camp tomorrow!

Go to colts.org for more info on housing and for last minute updates.

Vanessa, Liz, & Rachel on DCI.org

Once again, Colts on DCI.org! Click here.