Dear Marching 100 Parents,

May 13 and 14, 2016 are the dates of Marching 100’s Spring Button Days!! Just so everyone is aware of what this means, including all parents of incoming Freshmen, I will briefly explain.

First, Button Days is a fundraiser that has been a tradition with Marching 100 in the past which we resurrected in the fall of 2014 to raise funds for the new uniforms.

How does it work? Students are stationed in front of area businesses to offer customers a pin-on Marching 100 button in exchange for whatever donation they would like to give. (No donation is too small or too large!) At least one parent chaperone is present at each location to assist.

Why do we do Button Days? Well, since fall 2014, we have had 3 Button Days fundraisers and have raised over $10,500, allowing us to make timely payments on uniforms for our growing band!!  So this fundraiser has been tremendously successful for us financially. Another wonderful reason is that it gets our kids out in the public eye and connects the band with our community. Students are always delighted to meet so many people who were once part of our proud band tradition back when they went to Alton High. Our community has always been very supportive of the Alton music program, and we always get positive response from community members and business owners alike when our Marching 100 kids come out for Button Days – especially when the kids bring their instruments and play!

How can you help us on Button Days? First, go to http://vols.pt/1iiG6d (Volunteer Spot) to view a schedule of business locations and available shifts. Shifts on Friday evening are 3 hours (4:00-7:00), and Saturday shifts run 2 hours. This site makes it very easy to sign up to chaperone. Ms. Cudney will be posting a sign-up sheet in the band room for students to sign up for these same locations. (Your student can be stationed with you at your location, but doesn’t have to be.) Some shifts already have a chaperone in place, but most still do not.

You will receive reminders and/or updates when you sign up on Volunteer Spot.

What will I need to do as a chaperone? Basically, on the day of your shift, you will come to the High School (in the back by the music suite) about a half hour before your time so that your student can get into uniform and you as a chaperone can pick up a Marching 100 sign, buttons, and a container for collecting donations before heading to your location. (If you are serving second shift on Saturday, you will get buttons and containers from the first shift crew.) Several parents, including myself, will be traveling amongst the different locations to collect money and make sure you don’t run out of buttons. After your shift is over, you are finished and students will return their uniforms to the High School. Thank you for taking the time to read this and to get involved. I guarantee you will have a lot of FUN doing this, and your participation is greatly appreciated.