What your kid isn't telling you

AWAY BAND CAMP - Make sure you have the proper items needed to make band camp comfortable for your student. Here is a list of items: large insulated water jug, hat, sunglasses, sneakers, sleeping bag, pillow, toiletries, bath towel/wash cloths, sunscreen/bug repellant and warm clothes for the nights. Insiders' nice to have list: twin size fitted sheet, flashlight, snacks and lots of socks.

BANDS OF AMERICA REGIONAL COMPETITION, DELAWARE, OCTOBER 7 - REMEMBER --The $35 student fee is due Friday, September 8th. Please make payment by check payable to WHS Music. Please note your student's name in the memo section. Drum Majors will collect the checks.  If you would like to use money from your child's Charms account, please let Mr. Vitale or Mr. Sindorf know.  More details to follow.
FUNDRAISINGCAR WASH - tomorrow August 24th - Gather up your family and friends and have them bring their dirty cars over to the high school parking lot from 3:30 to 6:00.  Cars are washed for free.  Donations to the marching band are gratefully accepted.  CLICK HERE TO PRINT OUR FLYER TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!
 
KILWIN'S - tomorrow August 24th - Fundraiser at Kilwin's, 9 Elm St., Westfield - Marching Band members - see you there any time after the car wash until 9 pm.  Tell your friends and family 20% of their sales ALL day are being donated back to the band.  CLICK HERE TO PRINT OUR FLYER TO SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY!
 
SPIRITWEAR - ORDERS DUE this Friday 8/25 only!!  - look for an email with a link to the online store!
 
NEW - SHAKO DAY - September 16th - MANDATORY - Our largest annual fundraiser. Students are grouped and given a two-hour time slot and business location, and are asked to politely solicit donations from the public. Donations are placed in shakos (marching band hats). Hence, Shako Day! Details to follow. VOLUNTEERS are needed to check in on the kids and gather money for their safety.  If you would like to help and did not sign up via the Google form, contact Jenn Useloff (jlu624@yahoo.com) and Seth Brown (seth.brown@alliedbeverage.com) directly.
 
NEW - Want to make a donation to WHS Bands?  Visit http://www.westfieldhsbands.org/  and scroll down to the DONATE button.  A PayPal account has been set up to accept donations.  The WHS Band Parent Association is a 501-C3 non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible.  Check with your employer to see if they match donations.
 
INDIVIDUAL FUNDRAISERS - Looking to put more money in your student's CHARMs account? You can purchase grocery store gift cards from Shop Rite, Stop and Shop, ACME and Kings.  For every $100 gift card purchased, $5 goes into the student's account.  You can resell the card to friends/family or use it for your everyday shopping.  Gift cards can be purchased anytime throughout the year.  Contact Mary Beyert (mbeyert@comcast.net) or Sarah McGrail (s_mcgrail@hotmail.com) for more information about grocery cards and how your every day shopping can put money in your pocket!

HOSPITALITY
UPDATE - BOWLING NIGHT - August 26 - Forms and payment are due Friday, 8/25.  This annual event is a great time for parents and kids to meet up and bowl a few games.  This year, Bowling Night will be held on Saturday, August 26th  from 8 - 10 pm at Linden Lanes.  For $20, you get pizza, soda, water and continuous bowling including shoe rental.  If you want to come but don't want to bowl, you can pay $10 and enjoy pizza, soda and water while seeing friends.  This event is a personal favorite of our Band Director, Mr. Vitale!  Forms and money can be given to Lucy Ritter or Paul Sawina after rehearsal or to Melanie Sawina (639 Hanford Place).  Checks should be made payable to WHSBPA.  DOWNLOAD THE FLYER HERE. 
 
SAVE THE DATE - PARENT SOCIAL - Friday, September 8th  hosted by The Cooks. Details to follow.
 
SPECIAL THANKS to the Mohr-Ramirez family for hosting the MB Parent/Student Social this past Friday.  It was a great evening for rookies and their parents to meet members of the BPA Board and student leaders to get to know one another and have their questions answered.
 
The Hospitality Committee is looking for a few more volunteers.  There are several ways to help - you can provide our students with water during football games and competitions; provide a 3rd quarter snack for home football games; help set up for our pot luck dinner, parent social or awards night.  If you are interested in helping, please email Melanie at matpas@verizon.net.

RESOURCES
Marching Band Calendar - Can't remember what time practice is?  Where or when the next game or competition will be? Subscribe to our google calendar located on the homepage of the website: www.westfieldhsbands.org  Click the subscribe button in the lower right-hand corner of the calendar.
 
Newsletter Archive - can't locate a newsletter?  More archived newsletters are to the right and sorted by month.


QUESTIONS??Though we try, we couldn't possible think of everything.   Feel free to email us at whsbandparents@gmail.com with your questions. We will get right back to you!