A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear parents--
 
As the president of the Grandview Heights Band and Orchestra Boosters, I can say with certainty that there’s never been a better time to be an instrumental music student in Grandview! 
 
When I joined the GHBOB Board in 2021, we set goals to increase opportunities for performances, field trips, guest artists and development experiences.  We also wanted to establish a culture of ONE instrumental music program by including orchestra students into our existing band booster activities.  We’ve made great strides in all these areas, and we are not done yet.  Our 

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current directors also have many exciting ideas to expand and grow their programs, with the help of GHBOB.
 
Unfortunately, volunteerism is at an all-time low, particularly with committee chair positions.  We have over 300 instrumental music students, and only about 10% of parents volunteer regularly.  Recently most activities have been organized by the same 5 or 6 people, leading to burnout.  Further, many of our most dedicated volunteers are ‘retiring’ this year as their students graduate. 
 
Straight talk: our current level of programming, let alone expanded levels of opportunity, is not sustainable without more parent involvement.  For continued—and increased—success, we need every parent of an instrumental music student in grades 5-12 to take an active role as a booster.  All students benefit from our activities, so we ask that all parents volunteer throughout the year.
 
Now here’s the good news: there is a wide range of ways to help!  We have a variety of options to meet your skills, interests and levels of time commitment.  And the benefits don’t end with the students; volunteering with GHBOB has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had.  Band and Orchestra parents tend to be hardworking and FUN to be around.  I’ve met great friends scooping popcorn and measuring for uniforms. Plus, music education is transformative for some students, and it’s a joy to be a part of that. 
 
Ready to learn more? Please mark your calendars for the GHBOB LEAP into Volunteering event, Thursday, February 29 at 7:00 pm at the Grandview Theatre.  This will be a casual leap day meetup to hear from current volunteers and learn how you can get more involved.  Grab a friend and join us for some conversation about the exciting future ahead for Grandview student musicians. 
 
Hope to see you in a few weeks.
 
Sincerely,
Dot Keil
President, GHBOB 
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