Tuesday December 9, 7:30pm

Written By Erin Trampel

Mid America Freedom Band

Board Meeting Minutes

Tuesday December 9, 7:30pm

Virtual

Attendees: BOARD MEMBERS: Rameka Jennings, Christian Montes, Debbie Farrell, Nicholas McWilliams, Adrienne Hixson, Joy Hope, Shelly Alexander, Lisa Klockenga, Ashton Duplechain; Staff: Jeanine Asay, Danie Kirk, Jessie Davis, Erin Trample, Ian Brant ; Members:N/A

Acting Proxy: N/A

Called to order at 7:35 

Committee Reports 

Fundraising, Adrienne

Bingo at Servaes brought us a total of $240, which will be sent via PayPal. We are on their calendar again for June 24, which will likely be a better opportunity with it being warmer in the summer. 

Thanks Jessie for partnering with KC Secrets and their KC ugly sweater campaign

Reaching out to companies that are members of the LGBT Chamber of Commerce for donation matches, other support, performance opportunities

Monthly fundraising campaigns for the next year (tentative): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iCNJXeFZcWWON7T1bZNCn7hTS-caeaKQZsUVMI1UZwM/edit?usp=drivesdk

Springtime online auction with artwork from band members and local LGBTQ+ artists- need to put out a call among membership for donations. I've reached out to artists at Cherry Pit collective and a few other local studios and there is definitely interest in collaborating. Can also possibly include experiences or make baskets as I've gotten donations of dance classes, pet grooming, art classes, car detailing and other services. 

Still working with Woody's to establish a date for a beer bust

Looking for venues for a local drag showcase/jazz band collab, likely mid-late May as a preclude to Pride month. Have checked with Black Box, open to other ideas. Once I have a venue set for this, I can figure out how much to charge. The Black Box would give us a portion of alcohol and food sales, so this is the best option I've found so far.

How do we feel about Patreon or Ko-Fi as a fundraising platform? 

Marketing, Jessie

Facebook ads and social posts are rolling for this weekend’s show. 

The great thing about marketing is that things can be planned well in advance! To help us navigate this a little better, I’ve created a form for committees to complete when they have an upcoming event. This can be an in person event, or virtual (like giving tuesday). This will help us align items, and fit everything into our larger marketing strategy. Please fill this out at least two weeks before your event, especially if asking Marketing to create any assets for you. If you’re a committee chair, I’d recommend adding this to your bookmarks! :) I’ll include a link in each month’s agenda as well for easy access. 

Membership, Nick

Holiday pot luck with Swing Band set for Thurs Dec 18th

End of Season membership party - Gael’s has confirmed availability but also looking at a few other venues. I was planning on holding the party the Thursday after the last jazz concert 5/21, but that is during the Pride Bands Alliance Conference so I may look at earlier that week

Performance Opportunities, Debbie

Service Opportunities

Giving the Basics; barrel or digital drives, community event for groups

Habitat for Humanity; Pride Builds are in October; groups @ ReStore

KC Pet Project; weekends; groups

Merch, Erin

Christmas merch is ready to go for Saturday, after this concert we may look into ordering another item to finish out the season, we have about $400 left in the budget so it would need to be something small and quick to manufacture

**A few pre orders have come through with ticket sales, get with Ian to get those “filled”

I haven’t been able to find any water bottles that are affordable, customizable, and dishwasher safe so I added two options to our made to order store instead. We won’t make any money on those orders, but at least it’s an option for anyone who wants one.

Grants, Bailee

Filled out report

AD Search Committee, Jessie/Ian

Happy to report the closing of this committee. Thanks all! 

Artistic Committee, Jessie

See above ;) Nathan and I met with Daniel to discuss transition of planning to his shoulders, and we both will be available to him for questions/feedback along the way. Committee closed! 

Reports

Secretary, Ashton

Nothing to Report 😎

Artistic Director, Daniel 

February chamber concert cancelled. This was originally intended to serve as more time for the new AD to plan and prepare for April concert. 2026 Spring now mirrors the 2025 Spring calendar. 

Chamber music will be embedded into April program, if members are curious - two trios and one WW quintet. 

April music order submitted to Lisa. Confirmed and ordered and in route to librarians. 

First 2026 full band rehearsal is January 15th.

The concert in April rebranded to For All, We Rise.  

Would request help from all members to assist in bringing back folks that were involved in MAFB in Spring 2025

Goal for January–April 2026: track rehearsal attendance and explore a Fall 2026 procedure—such as a section-leader check-in or brief playing accountability submission—for members who miss a set number of rehearsals. The aim is to better understand, from an AD perspective, why folks miss rehearsals and how we can support them.

Assistant Artistic Director, Jessie

Please help remind members that MMJO will still be rehearsing on 12/18, so try to keep early arrivals to the party at a minimum! 

Due to the early concert for MMJO, our rehearsals will start back up January 8th, taking a 6pm-8pm time slot (no concert band this night). 

Production Coordinator, Bailee

No report submitted

Board Chair, Christian  

Nothing to Report

Vice Chair, Rameka

In preparation for elections and a new chapter with Daniel, we need to get better organized.  Please review and update your respective office/committee with your vision of the role.  Make notes of challenges, where there may be holes, etc.  We have to reassess and reorganize looking into the future.

MAFB Committee Job Descriptions

Expectations/commitments for unpaid staff (librarians) need defined; attend board meetings, load-in/out, other board/staff requirements (do they apply?)

Treasurer, Lisa

Report Available upon request

Executive Director, Ian

  • Hovey Williams continues to work on the copyright issue and are working toward a final resolution soon. I’ve double-checked the website and I can't find anything else that could be problematic.

Librarian, Jeanine

Most of the Spring concert music is ready. Two pieces are being shipped, we will get those scanned asap.

Brand Manager, Erin

Website will be updated to the jazz concert after Saturday. February concert has been removed from the website and the half season mailer will be designed/proofed this week.

Old Business

Marching Band Director

Search is ongoing but on pause. If anyone knows of someone who is interested in taking this position please let Jessie or Christian know. The color guard is still rehearsing on Thursdays this fall/winter to practice. A job description is available upon request.

Election Committee

Ashton has joined the committee. We will send out the application on Sunday to both inside and outside parties.

Jeanine joined the committee!

Church and Storage Fall Cleaning

Please sign up for the doodle

Lead on a Sousaphone is transforming into instrument fund

Lets shoot for setting up an instrument fund so people can donate directly to it. 

Copyright filing

Lets set a goal for next meeting to see what the steps are in securing a copyright for Pride in Every Note, Every Note Belongs, and the logo.

New Business

Percussion Needs

-Bongo heads broken

-Rachet

Annual Meeting

Looking at a February annual meeting with a couple options:

Postpone February board meeting and do it on the 11th or 18th. Open to hear more options but want to give election committee as long as possible if we can. Then have our board meeting the 23rd for officer elections and a quick touch base before the board meeting on the 13th if we still are doing Tuesdays.

  • Looking into hosting virtually to save a rehearsal

Librarian

It’s time to start putting some feelers out for a new assistant Librarian. Jeanine has done such a wonderful job for us and we need to start looking. 

  • Bea is open to taking the head position, we need to find her an assistant

Program Content

Should we split up the program content gathering more so it’s not all on one person to get it together?Erin would also like to request that the deadline for content be moved up to two Mondays before the concert (i.e. concert is on the 13th, program content is due on the 1st) so we have more time to do edits and can maybe get it to the printer the friday before the concert so the printer has more time.

  • Possibly having a running google doc with a running roster, it would be sent out in the weekly emails leading up to the concert

    • Puts responsibility on the players to make sure they are listed and spelling is accurate

Executive Session - 8:57pm

Meeting adjourned movement/time.   9:33pm

Erin Trampel
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