2026 Anual Membership Meeting
Mid America Freedom Band
Annual Meeting Minutes
Thursday February, 12 2026, 8:00pm
Called to order at 8:00PM
Welcome
Good evening everyone! Welcome to our annual meeting! This meeting is a chance for our board and staff to give you an organizational update.
You will have a chance to ask questions after each report and then at the end.
Elections - Christian Montes
This year, we will be trying a new process:
Tomorrow, an email will go out with the application and our board covenant. The application will give you the basics on requirements on what it means to serve on the board. The covenant is what we agree upon and how we hold each other accountable. That is a living document that changes and we write it as a board together.
After tomorrow, we will have 15 days until the app closes. Feb 27th.
A committee will meet and decide on the slate and communicate to the board for approval. After approval, dues paying members will receive a ballot to vote electronically. After the election, we will seat the new board members and the board will elect new officers. Anyone may submit nominations or self-nominate. They do not have to be playing members or be a part of the organization at this time to apply.
All this will be communicated in tomorrow’s email. If you have any questions, please feel free to talk to anyone on the board, staff, or email info@freedomband.com.
Organizational Update - Ian Bradt
How is the band doing and what does the future look like?
Moving to Onecause
Still learning and working that out
Needing to update/check paperwork on MAFB instruments on loan
Please check with the band (email Ian/Christian) to see if we need things before buying and donating them to us (ESPECIALLY instruments)
Board Updates - Christian
First, I want to thank our three board members whose terms are up this February. Big round of applause for Joy, Rameka, and Nick. They have put a lot of work into the organization over the past three years; ensuring that our organization continues to uphold our mission and vision, continues to provide a place for all of us to play and perform, and continue to grow.
A big thank you to Jessie Davis! During our AD search, she not only stepped up to make sure everything got done, she took it upon herself to make sure things got done and most importantly, formed a committee to program the transition season.
Another big thank you to JJ Pearse. Thank you for so much for your time an effort during the transition. And a personal thank you for the lesson on conducting! You helped me feel confident and gave me the space to explore something I have wanted to do for a long time!
As mentioned above, that leaves us with three spots to fill on the board. If you’re interested, tomorrow’s email will go out with the application and all the info you need.
As a board, we are working to continue to plan for our success well into the future. With our big artistic leadership change, we realized we had substantial gaps in our processes. Many of you stepped up to help and volunteer when we needed and I hope that has ignited a flame in you to want to be more involved in the nitty gritty of running the organization. We are still quickly growing as an organization and we are evolving to meet those needs, but we can’t do it all without you. We need your input, we need your time, we need your ideas. My ask is to come to more board meetings: see what your organization is up to, join a committee: help us make the big lifts easier and help us come up solutions to problems, and if you’re feeling really passionate: join the board! Help us make running this big gay band look easy!
Finally, this is for reals my last time I will lead this organization. I plan to continue to serve on the board and help keep the horse going by being on committees and helping things get done. Thank you to the ever evolving board for trusting me with leading you. And thank you to the rest of the membership for allowing me the opportunity to be on the board and to have the opportunity! I wouldn't have had success without you all here.
Vice Chair Update – Rameka Jennings
This year, the Vice Chair role focused on supporting board leadership, maintaining continuity during transition, and strengthening how we operate as a governing body. Key themes included alignment across the board, staff, and committees; sustainability of volunteer leadership; and identifying opportunities to improve clarity, communication, and continuity as we look ahead.
Pride bands update - Jessie Davis
Pride Bands Alliance is a nonprofit network of LGBTQ+ and allied community bands that promotes visibility, advocacy, and connection through music across North America and beyond. There are over 35 bands just like MAFB within Pride Bands Alliance, and MAFB's Kansas City predecessor was one of the original founding bands in 1982!
Each year, there is a conference hosted by one of the bands. Some of you remember the fun we had hosting in 2018! This year, Philadelphia Freedom Band is hosting! “Band Things Happen in Philadelphia: A Celebration of Pride, Music, & Freedom,” will take place May 21–25, 2026. There are concert band, jazz band, marching, chamber music, and color guard opportunities, social events, as well as great fun spending a week making new friends from across the Pride Bands family! As an extra fun bonus, Lee Hartman is one of the guest conductors this year.
More info can be found at 2026.pridebands.org.
Financial Report - Lisa Klockenga
Full Report Available upon request
The first report shows the financials for the current fiscal year that runs 7/1/25-6/30/26. We still have several more months to go for this fiscal year. Within the annual report I also included the data from the past two fiscal years as well to show some trends on how we are spending more than what is coming in for the most part. However, we are still conservative with our spending and are still under what is budgeted for each year. You can see that our spending and profit are running closer together than they have in the past two seasons. A visual of this can be seen on the bar graph on the second link. The third link is the current budget for this year. The board has been diligent with its awareness that there have been significant changes to grants due to the cuts within the federal and state governments.
One way that we could continue to generate more profit for the organization is by re-incorporating the 50/50 raffle either monthly, or bimonthly? Is this something that members would like to participate in?
Also, would you like to contribute more to the band beyond paying your dues? Would you consider donating on a monthly basis? Your donations would be tax deductible.
If you are well versed in Quickbooks, spreadsheets, or creating graphs and would like to help out, please let me know!
Production Coordinator - Bailee Young
Accomplishments
We have streamlined production logistics through the use of SignUp Genius and proactive communication. Load in and load out times have dramatically decreased throughout the last year to approximately forty-five minutes for loading out of the church into the truck. This is in big thanks to our regular volunteers.
We also purchased new stand racks that have helped streamline our concert band logistics. Thank you to Ian for assembling them and taking apart the old ones.
Areas of Growth
Although it has improved, we still do not have full participation from the board with concert logistics. If you are on the board, it is your duty to assist with concert logistics. No one wants to move the equipment out of the basement after work, but as the leaders of the organization it is something that we have to prioritize in our own schedules.
Ian and I will also look into ways to streamline the ticketing process to allow for multiple people to be able to assist with check-ins without getting logged out of the account.
Marketing Committee - Jessie
This year, the Marketing Committee has been focused on strengthening MAFB’s visibility and consistency across all our channels. That included promoting concerts, supporting recruitment efforts, and making sure our messaging reflects who we are as a welcoming, joyful, and musically excellent community. What’s become very clear is that our biggest opportunity is social media. We have incredible musicians, stories, and moments, and we need more people to help capture and share them. To support that, the committee is launching a standing monthly marketing and social media working meeting on the second Monday of every month, open to anyone who wants to help. Whether you enjoy writing captions, taking photos at rehearsals, brainstorming ideas, or just want to learn, there’s a place for you—and this is an easy, meaningful way to support the band between concerts.
Meetings 2nd Monday of the month (look for link in discord)
Merch/Branding - Erin Trampel
We have made back our costs from buying merch for this season, and have earned $1400 in profits for the season. This is largely because of our TShirt fundraiser, so thank you for everyone who bought a shirt.
It is now time for the merch committee to come up with what items we will be ordering for next season, so if you are interested in helping pick out new merch please either reach out to Erin in discord or join us for our meeting on February 17th at 7:30pm on the discord voice channel. All members are welcome to join us, even if you don’t want to be a regular committee member. If you can’t attend but still want to share your ideas, there is a ‘merch releases’ channel in the discord where you can share your requests.
Membership Committee -Nick McWilliams
Membership engagement remains a priority for Mid America Freedom Band, with a focus on participation that matches members’ interests and strengths. Moving forward, the board will be more intentional with volunteer asks—offering clearer, smaller opportunities that allow members to share their individual “superpowers” in ways that feel accessible and meaningful.
Pep band performances, parades, and community events continue to be important avenues for visibility, recruitment, and connection. Members are encouraged to consider ways to get involved that fit their schedules and interests.
Save the date - End of Season Party Sunday May 17th 5-7pm at Hammer’s Dueling Piano Bar
Be thinking about nominees for Member of the Year, Best New Member of the Year, and Section of the Year, information and nominations will be shared in the coming weeks.
Fundraising Committee -Adrienne Hixson
Upcoming:
Schedule through summer is built out:
March- Chipotle
April- Up Down Coins for a Cause
May- McAlister’s/
June-Servaes music bingo
Lots of opportunities for fun, easy $ next season:
Halloween Haunt at Worlds of Fun, Ren Faire concessions, Sporting KC
I will be making FB events for all of these and creating a post schedule for socials so that we can increase visibility.
Personal goals:
Learn about opportunities we have with One cause such as online auctions (saving art auction for later this year around holiday shopping season.)
Focus on small, passive ways to fundraise.
I would love to do one big event like a gala with a performance and silent/live auction. Have begun reaching out to venues
Can we re incorporate the monthly 50/50 raffle?
Volunteer opportunities: reaching out to corporate donors, social media posts and scheduling.
I am always open to ideas. Are you a part time trivia host? Would your best friend’s local business like to partner up?
Fundraising events are also a great way for us to get out in the community and increase membership and donor support. The more folks we have at these events, the more money we can make and more opportunities we have for growth.
Mighty Mo and Concert Band - Jessie Davis & Daniel Kirk
MAFB & MMJO — “The Stories We Tell” — Season 24 Overview (26-27)
October 2026 – “Tell the Tale” Fall concert band program opening the season with autumn songs and Halloween spooks
November 2026 – “Plot Twists” Fall jazz orchestra concert highlighting innovation and surprise
December 2026 – “Home for the Harmonies” Winter concert centered on belonging and community
February 2027 – “Kansas City Stories” Collaborative concert band and jazz orchestra performance celebrating regional identity
April 2027 – “The Truth Is Out There” Spring jazz orchestra concert exploring experimental, space, and science-fictiony themes
May 2027 – “That’s a Wrap!” High-energy season finale focused on cinematic storytelling
Additional Engagement:
3–4 community neighborhood performances
3–4 parade and pep band appearances
Q&A, Closing remarks
What’s the jazz/concert band concert rehearsal going to look like?
We will rehearse fewer pieces and not carry lit over to the dec. concert
