An open letter to the greater Menomonie community

On most Father's Days since 2000, Menomonie has been privileged to host "Drums Along The Red Cedar" (DARC), a world class drum and bugle corps competition benefiting The Greater Menomonie Area Community Foundation. The event may now have become one more victim of economic circumstances.

Hundreds of youth from throughout the nation have played their hearts out and thrilled audiences at Don and Nona Williams Stadium. Although DARC was the first exposure to this “musical sport” for many in the area, for others it brought back memories of the period from the mid-1950s through the mid-1980s when drum corps were active in dozens of cities in Wisconsin, including several in the Chippewa Valley.

Unfortunately, several factors have caused those of us who have happily volunteered year-round to make this event possible to reconsider it's viability. These include the growing cost of booking the world class corps - largely related to fuel costs for their extensive national summer tour; our failure to increase public interest, attendance and ticket revenue to cover these increased costs; competition from other major events and the impact of the general economic conditions on financial sponsorships. The elimination of marching band from curricula in several area school systems over the years has also been a factor, since it has generally reduced the number of persons involved in marching music.

DARC was envisioned as a fund-raiser, but while it accumulated an endowment of about $15,000 in the Foundation over the first several years and provided mini-grants to several area schools and community music organizations, we cannot reasonably project that revenue will exceed the cost of the event in the future. Further, over this period, several members of our volunteer team have transitioned into life stages where other interests and obligations make increasing demands on their time. This has left our committee without leadership as of September 1, 2009, so it has formally dissolved. Records of the event will be stored by the Community Foundation, should another group wish to re-visit the future viability of "Drums Along the Red Cedar."

It has been a great run and great fun. We have made many new friends locally and from Minnesota to Colorado to Alabama and beyond. It has been a pleasure working with Drum Corps International, the international sanctioning body, headquartered in Indianapolis, and the greater drum corps community.

Several volunteers have helped out from the beginning. Certainly chief among them is Chris Leubner without whom there would have never been a Drums Along the Red Cedar. He championed the idea with the Menomonie Band Boosters but they had unfortunate weather the first year - 2000 in the old Nelson Field, and has served continuously as both Corps Housing Chair and "Field General."

It was the willingness of the Greater Menomonie Area Community Foundation to serve as fiscal "umbrella" for DARC which made possible the successful efforts to resurrect the event in 2002 in the new Don and Nona Williams Stadium, a venue which received rave reviews from the international national drum corps press.

Jay Fahl has volunteered as the "Voice of DARC" every year, bringing a truly professional aura to the event. Also contributing their efforts to our year-round team over the years were Rod and Kathy Bailey, Barb Knopps, John Wagner and his amateur radio group, Jerry C. and Jane Smith, Mike and Sally Schendel, Bob and Beverly Spinti, Darrin Falk and family, Gary and Julie Smith, Jake Bostrom, Roger and Dawn Card, Jim Young and Sandy Ericksen. In addition, literally hundreds of folks helped as volunteers on show days.

WESTconsin Credit Union has been a title sponsor and the major corporate contributor every year, joined by many other generous sponsors; more than we can list here, but they are all listed at: www.darc.us. The Community Foundation, UW-Stout and City of Menomonie officials and staff have gone the extra mile to help keep our financial records straight, provide support and a great venue, and to be ready for both local fans and the thousands of guests this event has brought to Menomonie.

River Falls, Glenwood City, Boyceville, Colfax and other school systems have donated use of facilities to house corps for the event. Menomonie and Chippewa Falls schools have also made facilities available.

There will still be oportunities for Menomonie fans to see drum corp close to home. These shows will be listed on www.dci.org and www.dcacorps.org next spring. We feel fortunate that, for nearly a decade, Menomonie "beat the odds," being one of the smallest communities in the USA to host such a world class event. We are also pleased that the endowment funded by DARC will continue earning dollars which the Community Foundation can return to community arts-related causes.

We will not say "All good things must come to an end:" If some group would like to take up restarting the event, they will find no better partner than the Greater Menomonie Area Community Foundation.

Thanks for the memories!

Dan and Marilyn Tye,
Retired Co-Chairpersons, Drums Along the Red Cedar Steering Committee