General Meeting 10-15-2024
Treasurer’s Report October 2024
Board members in attendance:
Directors: Bill Lennox
Jacqui Forsch(President), Steph Cramer (VP Student Accounts), Tracy Luisser (VP Volunteers), Becky Sullivan (Treasurer), and Michelle Miller (Secretary)
Board members in absent:
Directors: Allen Frank
Approval of Minutes from 09-16-2024:
Jacqui called the meeting to order and asked for approval on last month’s minutes. Motion to approve was made by Eleanor Mayer. Second by Annalisa Kelly-Cavotta. Overall approval by the full organization. (Motion passed)
Report from President (Jacqui):
- Pipes & Drums Order
Sports Center USA is going to have an order open for Pipes & Drums until November 22nd. Kids already have the information, but the link for it will be posted on BandApp. - Volunteers
Thank you to all the people that we’re volunteering at the games and donating. We’ve had a really good response from parents for hotdogs, pretzels, water, and the chips. We had people showing up at the bandstand, people showing up to help with the third quarter snack, and the roadies. It’s been amazing! We can’t do what we do with the kids without your help. So we really appreciate it. We want you to all know we appreciate it more than you know. You guys have been amazing. We just wanted to extend a big Thank you to everybody for all that you do. - Opportunities to volunteer/donate for Liberty-Freedom
We’re buying pizza. We have tons of chips leftover between bingo and some of the games. We got a donation of water from Wegmans. We still need some tablecloths and some volunteers for the luncheon, help to hang senior banners, etc. Look for a signup genius to go out with our specific needs for Liberty-Freedom. - Bandstand for Liberty-Freedom
We are going to open our bandstand for Liberty-Freedom. We’re the home team and we have lots and lots of inventory to sell, even though we’ve been killing it at bandstand throughout the season. We are going to be looking for people to help us. Because we all want to see our children, it will close at least 10 minutes before pregame.
- Fundraising Campaign Letters
Our fundraising campaign letters were printed out. We’re going after sponsorships to reduce or eliminate fair share or reduce the cost of our trips. Volunteers have stuffed envelopes. We’ve identified about 100 businesses that we’re starting to mail them out to. We also printed out copies for any parents that have a business that you know or that you work at or you have friends that may want a sponsorship.
- Halloween Parade
Some of us will be walking behind the band at the Halloween parade giving out postcards with the same QR code to try to get donations and to promote our sponsorships. We’re trying to get the word out. So anything that parents can do to help us spread the word, we appreciate.
QUESTION: Where does the money that comes in from sponsorships go?
The donor can designate what they want the money to go to. They can say I want it to go towards a trip, general fund, or instruments. They can’t give it to a specific student.
QUESTION: Can we have postcards?
The letters are more comprehensive than the postcard and are available now. The postcards will be arriving at Julie’s house this week. Candy will be attached to them for when they are handed out at the parade.
QUESTION: Which parade are parents walking behind the band?
The Bethlehem Halloween parade. Right now we don’t need more volunteers, but if we do, we will reach out on the BandApp.
- Clothing Order
We are working on a clothing order forFlorida. We don’t have a logo yet. We expect to have it ready in November after Liberty-Freedom. This will be online only. There will be a variety of items with a variety of quality levels. We will offer our Florida logo as well as our standard logo. We would like to open it up to the community and let them purchase items as well. Look for more information in November.
QUESTION: Will kids going on the trip get shirts?
Each performing trip member will get one. It will not be the Nike DriFit they currently wear under their uniform.
- Campaign – Days of Gratitude
We’re putting together a campaign on social media called Days of Gratitude. In November we are going to pick 5 or 10 days ending on Giving Tuesday. We’re going to have videos made and George, who is one of our community partners, is going to help piece them together and add a link to say how/where to donate. If you know any alumni that might want to participate or a community member that is a huge supporter of the Liberty Band, please let us know. The process will be simple: Record a video, not even 30 seconds long, and then we would piece it together and post it on social media and use it to ask for donations from the community. Tell your student to start thinking about why they love Liberty Band and why they’re grateful for it, so that they can say great things in case they get asked to make a video.
- Springo
Spring Bingo (Springo) is scheduled for March 30th. It’s purse bingo. Art Oakes volunteered to head it up. Please let us know if anybody is interested in being on the committee with him. We are going to start soliciting basket stuff and getting everything started. So if you’re interested come see one of the board members.
Report from VP of Volunteers (Tracy):
- Liberty – Freedom Game
We will be sending out a signup genius for help that we’re going to need for the Liberty-Freedom game.
- Mattie’s Pick Up
If you ordered anything from Mattie’s, pick up is on Saturday. It comes frozen, but we have no place to store them. Be aware that the Bethlehem Marathon is on Saturday and plan for it when you leave.
Report from VP of Student Accounts (Steph):
- September Fundraising Report
Lottery calendars:
59 students participated in lottery calendars and brought in a combined $4410 into their student accounts. The General Funds contribution will depend on the number of winners.
Dine to Donate:
This has brought in $267. Notice that the Dine to Donate proceeds go towards countering trip costs.
- Upcoming fundraisers:
| Fundraiser | Contact | Cost | Quota | Orders due | Pick up |
| Krispy Kreme | Bridget Carvajal | $12.00 per box | $5.00 per box | October 15th | October 22nd 5-6pm – LHS cafe. |
| Dine to Donate: Plaza Azteca on October 16th | |||||
| Casa de Jorge Salsa | Linda O’Brien & Tracy Luisser | $8.00 per jar | $3.50 per jar | October 20th | November 9th 10am – Science lot |
| Matey’s Pizza | Diane Cassell | November 3rd | November 16th 10am – Science lot |
||
| Bayou Boys Perogies | Bridget Carvajal | $10.00 (cheese) $12.00 (other) | $3.00 | November 8th | November 23rd 11am – Science lot |
| Pocono Cheesecakes | Michael Calagna | $14.50 per cheesecake | $5.00 | November 14th | November 23rd 11am – Science lot |
| Pampered Chef | Needs chair – let Steph know if you are interested. | ||||
QUESTION: Are the perogies fresh or frozen?
They come frozen.
- Picking up fundraisers
- Stay in your car and form a nice orderly circle around that science parking lot. We’re going to try to set up at the far end so that you will actually drive past us, come back through and be at the start of the line to keep everybody in their car. It will keep it going faster and run more smoothly.
- You have to bring payment to pick up any fundraiser. If you’re sending someone in your place to pick up the fundraiser, you have to send them with the correct payment.
- Checks have to be made out to LHSGBOPC. It can’t be some other BASD combination. We can’t cash those. It also has to have the correct amount on it. It can’t be a partial payment.
- We can only accept checks from parents within the organization. It has to do with the history of being hard to get funds paid from people outside of the organization if there is insufficient funds.
- If those buying the fundraisers from you are not comfortable writing a check or paying cash to you for the fundraisers, an option is for you to pay for the fundraiser at pickup and then have them pay you when you deliver it to them.
- Please don’t show up early, unless you are willing to help because it clogs up the system.
- Cut Time:
- Cut Time allows you to see the money that goes in and out of your student’s account. It will auto pay fairshare and money due first.
- If you don’t have access to Cut Time, contact Steph.
- Fairshare
- Fairshare is due today (10/15).
- Fairshare is $150 fair for being in band or band and orchestra or $75 for only orchestra.
- If you are struggling financially please let Steph know.
- Please help others (especially freshman parents) know about the obligation of fairshare.
- 74 students still owe something.
57 students have not made a single payment towards fairshare. - If you have a credit and want to use it as a trip payment, email Steph. She will need it in writing.
- If you have family members or friends who want to contribute money directly to the student, have them make a check out to LHSGBOPC, write in whatever amount they’re generously donating and then in the memo line put your student’s name and that it’s to go to their student account or quota.
QUESTION: The last payment says approximately $330. Do we know what the final check amount will be?
We will know after Liberty-Freedom.
QUESTION: Is there a BandApp for Florida?
It will be posted in BandApp.
QUESTION: Is it possible to move the fundraiser pick up to the large parking lot in front of the school?
Each time we have to have a fundraiser pick up, we need to fill out an application to reserve the area. The Science lot is usually available and we don’t have to fight other people for use of it.
QUESTION: If the Florida trip has been paid off already, will we receive a refund?
We don’t do it immediately after the trip. We wait until the end of the year. You can continue to fundraise from January to May, and can get some of the money you paid in back. If you fundraise the whole thing, you don’t get fundraising money back.
Report from VP of Treasurer (Becky):
- Taxes
Taxes are officially done. Our accountant was happy with our records. He said he had everything he needed and it was in an organized fashion.
- 1st Quarterly Parent Audit (Yeh Wen)
Thank you to Yeh Wen and the audit team. They completed the first quarterly audit last week on Thursday to have everything done in time for the meeting.
Audit Report (Yeh Wen):
Thank you to Grace Calasanz, Karin Fair, Rachelle Gordon, and Analisa Kelly-Cavotta who served on our audit committee. It took 3 hours on Thursday to complete. Thank you to Becky for her meticulous records. The audit committee was able to track down everything. There were only some minor documentation issues that were reported.
Starting Balance (July 1st): $86,739.26
Credits (July, August, September) +$59,530.73
Debits (July, August, September) -$57,854.71
Balance on hand (last day of quarter, 2024-09-30) $88,415.28
The audit committee has examined the books of LHSGB&OPC for the quarter specified and find them to be substantially correct.
- October’s financials (Monthly report 9/1 – 9/30):
- Our income and expenses compared to where we were last year because our budgeted numbers were pretty much what we had last year.
- Starting balance:$87,074.55
- Ending balance: $88,415.28
- Income: $34,629.62
- Expenses: $33,288.89
- Fundraiser totals are given with a breakdown to show you what’s quota and what’s general funds from those fundraisers for the month.
QUESTION: Why is the income for candy negative?
There was a big check that went out to purchase candy.
- Approval of Treasurer’s Report
Motion to approve was made by Sue Testa. Second by Michael Calagna. Overall approval by the full organization. (Motion passed)
Report from Directors:
- Mr. Frank: not present
- Mr. Lennox
- Weekly bulletin: Check the weekly bulletin for information. If you still have questions, email both of the directors.
- Florida: If you have a Florida question, send the directors an email. They will definitely get back to you after the Liberty-Freedom game.
- Liberty – Freedom Game: Please make sure your kids are arriving on time for morning rehearsals and the game. There is a lot that is accomplished during the 7:00-7:25 rehearsals.
- Hellertown: Report time is 1:00pm. The location will be confirmed closer to the parade.
- Spirit Week Schedule:
- Tuesday: There is combined rehearsal with the middle schools at Liberty during the day. No night time rehearsal.
- Thursday: The bonfire will be honoring seniors. Seniors will be receiving a Google form asking for parent information and what they plan to do. You need to make sure your senior fills out this form and it will not be in the weekly.
- Saturday: Liberty vs. Freedom game. Report time is 9:15am.
- Sunday: The last part of the marching season is the Bethlehem Halloween Parade. We do not have a report location yet, but the report time is around 1:15.
- Week 11 (playoffs): Plan for a week 11. The announcement will not be made until Sunday of the Bethlehem Halloween Parade.
QUESTION: What parks are they going to on Sunday (Florida trip)?
All Florida information will be coming out after the Liberty-Freedom game.
New Business:
- QUESTION: Where can tailgating spots be purchased for the Liberty – Freedom game?
Check the BASD website. - QUESTION: Can digital ticket packs be used for the Bethlehem Catholic game?
No. They are an outside organization renting the space. They are doing cash only.
A motion to close the meeting was made by Sue Testa. Second by Becky Sullivan. Overall approval by the full organization.