Prospect Knight of Champions – Oct. 2nd

9:20pm Update – Results Announced:

Class AA – Placements:

1st Place – 72.85 - DGS Marching Mustangs - Best In Class AA
2nd Place – 72.63 – Wheeling
3rd Place – 70.83 - Victor J. Andrew

Class AA - Caption Awards:

Best Visual – DGS Marching Mustangs
Best Music – DGS Marching Mustangs 
Best Percussion – Victor J. Andrew
Best Auxiliary (Color Guard) – Victor J. Andrew
Best General Effect – Wheeling

Overall Competition –

Grand Champion –78.65 -  Morton
2nd Place – 72.85 - DGS Marching Mustangs
3rd Place (tie) – 72.63 – Hersey (AAA)
                              – 72.63 – Wheeling (AA)
All Caption Awards – Morton

The Band has boarded the buses and is now on the way home.  Current ETA is 10:15pm.  Any change to ETA will be posted here as soon as available. 

Congratulations to our Marching Mustangs on another terrific outing – 2nd Place Overall and Best in Class AA!

Original Article Starts Here:

Congratulations once again to our Marching Mustangs, Grand Champions of the 2010 Morton Invitational.  After a week off for Homecoming, the STORM rolls into Mt. Prospect Saturday for the Prospect Knight of Champions. 

The competition will be held at Prospect High School, located at 801 W. Kensington Road in Mt. Prospect.  Tickets for this competition are $10 for adults, $7 for students/seniors (60+), and $25 for a family consisting of two adults and 2 children.

The competition provides an excellent opportunity to view several of the bands expected to make Finals this year at ISU – DGS competes at 5:45pm and is expected to return home at 10pm.

-- THE BLOG WILL BE UPDATED WITH COMPETITION RESULTS WHEN ANNOUNCED (after 9pm) --

Links & Downloads 
Prospect Itinerary with DGS schedule and Driving Directions
Map to Prospect High School
Prospect Knight of Champions Website 
Prospect KOC Schedule of Competing Bands

Students are to bring a Sack Lunch and cash for Dinner at Prospect’s Concession Stand. 
  11:00 am – Rehearsal begins at DGS 
    2:45 pm – Buses depart for Mt. Prospect
    5:45 pm – DGS Competes 
    8:45 pm – Awards Announced
10:00 pm – Expected Return to DGS

View Larger Map

Boosters Help With Kiwanis Peanut Drive September 23rd – 25th, Raise $4,000+

Thanks to the volunteers who shared their time, good nature, and shoe leather, the Mustang Band Boosters raised over $4,000 for the Downers Grove Kiwanis in this year’s Annual Peanut Days drive.  With your help, the Downers Grove Kiwanis can continue to support its many charitable activities in our community. If you want to know more about the good results that will come from your hard work, please click the following link for a brief list of DG Kiwanis' charitable efforts: http://www.dgkiwanis.org/soap.html

While this was a successful drive from many respects, we collected far less than we could have since fully 1/2 of the 198 volunteer slots went unfilled.  (36 volunteers accounted for 99 hours of time collecting donations.)

Kiwanis Peanut Days 2011 will once again be held on the last full weekend of September (9/22-9/24). If you are still involved with the DGS Bands next year, or continue to have a soft spot in your heart for the bands, please plan on walking the streets with us once again. And please encourage your friends to join you as well. It is, at a minimum, only an hour or two of your time.

Original Article starts here…

School’s started, the days are a bit cooler, and the Marching Band Season has begun.  But what do Boosters do when there’s no Competition? It must be time for Kiwanis Peanut Days!

Click to view the Volunteer Schedule and Timeslots
Click to email the Peanut Day Coordinators and Sign-Up

The year’s Annual Kiwanis Peanut Drive is being held from Thursday Sept. 23rd – Saturday Sept. 25th.  The Downers Grove Kiwanis raises funds throughout the year to support our local school programs and fulfill many local charitable needs.  Over the past 3 years, the Mustang Band Boosters have helped by collecting over $10,000 as Peanut Day volunteers.

Click to see how DG Kiwanis helps our community
Click to see Band Boosters In Action for Peanut Days 2008

This year the Boosters will be working on 2 major intersections, 75th & Lemont Rd., and 63rd & Main St., as well as spending some time outside the Jewel/Osco at 63rd & Main.  We are looking for Parent and Alumni volunteers to work the streets in the mornings and/or evenings; students are invited to work outside the Jewel (only) on Thursday evening.  Volunteers are needed to cover the following timeslots marked with a :

	75th & Lemont	63rd & Main	Jewel (Stdts OK)
THU 6:30am-9:30am			(none)
THU 4:00pm-7:00pm
FRI 6:30am-9:30am			(none)
FRI 4:00pm-7:00pm			(none)
SAT 7:00am-10:00am			(none)

Volunteers will work 1 hour shifts, and you can sign up for as many shifts as you like.  (Student volunteers at Jewel will earn a Service Credit for time worked.)  Gather a few friends and make a day of it.  Work the same intersection and see who can collect the most!  This really is a fun way to help the Boosters, the Kiwanis  and our community.

To Volunteer or ask any questions, please send an email to
Gen-PeanutDay@MustangBandBoosters.com or phone Mike Klimczak (630-968-5287) or Jill Pruett (630-515-0859).

Links to More Info:
Volunteer Schedule (updated nightly)
Downers Grove Kiwanis’ website – Community Involvement
Band Boosters In Action for Peanut Days 2008

Morton Marching Invitational – Sept. 18th

Competition Summary

Class AA: DGS Marching Mustangs score 66.75, Best in Class AA.
  DGS also takes Class AA Caption Awards for Best Auxiliary and Best Winds.
Grand Champion: DGS awarded Grand Champion – Best Band Overall.
  DGS also awarded Grand Champion Auxiliary and Grand Champion Winds.
Link to: Morton Competition Scores/Results

8:00pm Update – Results Announced:

Class AA – Placements:

• 1st Place – DGS Marching Mustangs - Best In Class AA
• 2nd Place – United Township
• 3rd Place – Rock Island

Class AA - Caption Awards:

• Best Percussion – United Township
• Best Auxiliary (Color Guard) – DGS Marching Mustangs
• Best Winds - DGS Marching Mustangs

Overall Competition – 

• Grand Champion Percussion – Limestone
• Grand Champion Auxiliary – DGS Marching Mustangs
• Grand Champion Winds - DGS Marching Mustangs
• Grand Champion - DGS Marching Mustangs

The Band has boarded the buses and is now on the way home.  Current ETA is 10:50pm.  Any change to ETA will be posted here as soon as available.  Congratulations to our Marching Mustangs on another terrific outing!

Original Article Starts Here:

Congratulations to the Marching Mustangs for opening the Competition Season on such a high note at Lake Park!  For Week 2, the storm rolls into Morton, IL (near Peoria) for the Morton Marching Invitational.  Morton is the home of the Libby's Canned Pumpkin plant; the competition is held in conjunction with the town's Annual Pumpkinfest.  (And Morton's Concession Stand has the best burgers and pork chops, hands down!)

Tentative Schedule:

morning Sectionals (Time/Place TBD) 
  8:45am Rehearsal starts at DGS
12:15pm Buses Depart for Morton HS 
  5:00pm Performance 
  7:30pm Awards Announced, Depart for DGS around 8:30pm
11:30pm Estimated Return to DGS

-- THE BLOG WILL BE UPDATED AROUND 9:00PM WITH RESULTS AND AGAIN AROUND 10:30PM WITH AN UPDATED ETA --

Links & Downloads

Download: Saturday's Itinerary & Competition Schedule 
Map: Morton HS, 350 N. Illinois Ave. Morton, IL 61550
Morton HS Band Website & Competition Schedule
Morton Pumpkin Festival Website

Driving Directions to Morton HS
350 N. Illinois Ave. Morton, IL 61550
Take I-55 South toward St. Louis.
Exit west on I-74, just west of Bloomington (ISU).
From west on I-74 to exit 102 turn right (north) onto Morton Ave.
Follow Morton Ave. to Courtland St.
Turn right (east) onto Courtland St. and follow to Main St. and turn right (south) onto Main St.
Follow Main St. to Nebraska and turn left (east) onto Nebraska.
Follow Nebraska to Jackson St.
Turn right (west) onto Jackson St. and follow to Morton High School/Bertha Frank Center and turn left into parking lot. Traffic Personnel will direct you to your parking area.
Estimated Travel Time: 2 hours 45 minutes from DGS

Lake Park Lancer Joust – Sept. 11th

Competition Summary

Prelims: DGS Marching Mustangs score 68.30, Best in Class AA and 5th highest overall in Prelims.  DGS also takes Class AA Caption Awards for Best Music, Best General Effect, and Best Auxiliary.
Finals: DGS scores 65.30, 8th Place Overall in Finals Round.
Link to: Prelims/Finals Scores and Awards

11:35pm Final Update:  The Band is now leaving Lake Park – 
ETA at DGS is approx. 12:15am.

10:50pm Update: DGS places 8th Overall in Finals Competition with score of 65.30.  Congratulations to the Marching Mustangs for starting off another year with a Finals Placement at Lake Park.  The Band is making its way back to the buses to pack up before leaving for home.  Updated ETA will be provided shortly, probably near 12:00 midnight.

6:15pm Update: DGS places within the Top 5 Bands Overall in Preliminary Competition.  The band is scheduled to perform again in Finals at 9:45pm.  (There is still time to get to Lake Park and see the Mustangs compete in Finals!)

5:51pm Update - Prelim Results Announced:
Beyond The Storm…  is a Rainbow! 
DGS has strong showing at the Lancer Joust, taking the following awards:
Best Band in Class AA
Best Music in Class AA
Best General Effect in Class AA
Best Auxiliary (Color Guard) in Class AA
For the 2nd consecutive year, DGS will perform again in Finals Competition at Lake Park.  More details will be posted as they are made available.

Original Article Starts Here:

The Marching Mustangs’ 2010 Season kicks off Saturday, September 11th with the Lake Park Lancer Joust at Lake Park High School’s West Campus in Roselle, IL.

Lake Park West High School is located at 500 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., where it intersects with West End Rd. Tickets for this competition are $10 for adults, $7 for children and $25 for a family consisting of two adults and 2 children.

Please note: The Competition consists of a Preliminary Performance and Finals Competition (Top 10 Bands). If the Band makes Finals, they will compete again after 6:00pm, and return to DGS around 11:30pm.

-- THE BLOG WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE BAND’S ETA AT DGS (Expected Time of Arrival) AS SOON AS COMPETITION RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED (6pm) --

Links & Downloads
Lake Park Itinerary with DGS schedule and Driving Directions
Map of Lake Park West High School
Lake Park Lancer Joust Website
Lancer Joust Schedule of Competing Bands

Students are to bring a Sack Lunch and cash for Dinner at Concession Stand at Lake Park.
   8:00 am – Rehearsal begins at DGS
  11:15 am – Busses depart for Lake Park
   2:00 pm – DGS Performs in Prelims
   5:30 pm – Awards & Finals Announcements –
   Top 10 bands perform again in Finals
7:30 pm – Finals Competition Begins
11:30 pm – Expected Return to DGS if band makes finals –

-- THE BLOG WILL BE UPDATED WITH THE BAND’S ETA AT DGS (Expected Time of Arrival) AS SOON AS COMPETITION RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED (6pm) --

View Directions to the Lake Park Lancer Joust in a larger map

Private Lesson Scholarships Now Available

The Mustang Band Boosters are now accepting applications for the 1st Semester Private Lesson Scholarships. 

Completed applications must be submitted before October 1st.  Download the Scholarship Application here.

In order to receive a scholarship, the student must comply with the requirements contained in the Bylaws as stated below:

"To be eligible for a scholarship, the student must have fulfilled a minimum of three (3) volunteer opportunities, i.e. “Service Credits” as indicated on the Mustang Band Booster Scholarship Options for Band Students form....."   "........Students applying for private lesson scholarships must complete these Service Credit requirements by the end of the semester of application. Such Service Credits will be tracked by the Vice President of Membership with input provided by the various fundraiser chairperson(s). Service Credits will be posted on the Mustang Band Booster Website by student ID#, along with the Student Account balance information."

"Available scholarship funds will be allocated equally among the four (4) categories (marching band, summer camps, and fall and spring private lessons). However, the available scholarship funds may vary from school year to school year as determined by the funding sources. Therefore, in order for students to receive awards within each category, scholarships may be adjusted accordingly to include eligible students who have applied."

The scholarship form may be found on the school's website at:
http://iwr.csd99.org/south/music/Band%20Stuff/Scholarhip%20Options.htm

The form may be mailed to the attention of Mr. Craig Roselieb, 1436 Norfolk Avenue, Downers Grove, IL 60516 or placed in the band mailbox prior to October 1st. Late applications will not be accepted.