Music Boosters of Owatonna

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Music Boosters of Owatonna
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MBO Origins

• Original name Community Music, Inc 1982
• Reactive to budget cuts in music program
• Initial membership 2000 out of a town of 16,000.
  Reflects urgency of situation.
• Membership waned to 200 at one point
• Current membership over 400.
• Primarily composed of parents of current students
  but also wide variety of community members.

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MBO Mission Statement

• Supporting and advocating for music and music
  education as essential to the life-long learning
  of our students and community.

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MBO Structure

• Governed by a 7-15 member board composed of
  volunteers for 3 yr terms.
• Includes Music Teacher advisors from elementary,
  middle and high school levels representing band,
  vocal and strings.
• Board responsible for financial control of
  membership contributions.
• Board is led by Executive Board composed of Pres,
  Vice Pres, Sec and Treasurer.
• The full Board meets monthly, exec board ad hoc

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MBO Board Committees

• Seven committees with ad hoc added for special
  projects (i.e. Bylaws Review)
• Executive
• Membership
• Website
• Fund Raising
• Newsletter
• Pancake Breakfast
• Pops Concert

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MBO Board Committees

• Committees reflect function
• RAISING MONEY!
• Primarily done through membership dues however in
  the past included concert sponsorship and the
  largest fund raiser Pancake breakfast
• Communication
• Newsletter twice annually, MBO website, Concert
  attendance with booth both increases visibility
  and sells memberships.
• Service
• Provide support for teaching staff through adult
  volunteers by taking tickets, providing
  concessions at music contests, decorating and
  organizing Spring Pops concert.

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2005-6 Highlights for MBO

• 12,000 donations to district music programs
• Purchase of the top item on Teachers Wish List
  String Bass outfit
• Retirement breakfast and recognition for retiring
  music teacher
• Two Newsletters
• Supplied pot luck for visiting Augustana Band
  concert
• Exec Board meeting with school administration.

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MBO Enters the Electronic Age

• Website update! Add color, music, and expanded
  menu
• Provides communication site for parents for
  private lesson teachers, used instrument sales,
  music event calendar, photos of ensembles and
  newsletter.
• Please see musicboostersofowatonna.org

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Membership Issues

• Current recording through Excel, will likely move
  to Access to facilitate data manipulation.
• Goal is to move from paper to email. Decreases
  cost, decreases time investment.
• Small town personal touch still maintained with a
  personal thank you note by snail mail. Tough to
  maintain.
• Currently we have levels of membership with
  MPR-type perks. Some are no cost to MBO!
• Membership Reminder postcards are going out.
  Plan to change that to email and save costs.

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Membership Incentives

• MBO Membership Levels
• Conductor 500
• Be the guest conductor at an OHS band,
  choir or orchestra rehearsal or concert
  reserved seating at one concert CD
• Standing Ovation 250
• Enjoy reserved seating at one ISD 761 music
  concert CD
• Bravo 100
• Keep the music alive with a CD of the OHS
  orchestra, choir, or band
• Encore 50
• Go behind the scenes and attend a rehearsal
  of the OHS choir, orchestra, or band. Bring your
  instrument (or voice)!
• Curtain Call 25
• Write a note to your favorite musician on
  this post-it note pad
• All memberships are tax deductible and include
  the MBO newsletter and free music classifieds on
  the MBO website.
• www.musicboostersofowatonna.org

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MBO Newsletter

• Newsletter includes schedules, membership,
  special interest and as always, promotes the
  website.
• Presidents Note each issue.
• Costly but brings in as many memberships as
  concerts

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Outside the Box

• Managing Follingstad endowment
• Interviewing potential school board members
• Advocacy guest speaker Doug Orzolek
• Meeting with school principal and district
  administrators
• District music teachers collaboration Wish
  List
• Improving multicultural access

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MUSIC Boosters vs. ____ Boosters

• K-12 vs. Choir, Orchestra, Band, Marching Band
• Providing support all the way through the system
• All teachers working together
• Community support
• Businesses, board members, community musicians

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QUESTIONS?

• Thank you!