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The buzzer sounds…
…halftime has arrived. The fans are shuffling to regain feeling in their legs. Some head to the concession stands. Others visit with family and friends that surround them. Out of the crisp, thin, fall air, the piercing sounds of a trumpet wails. All at once, music fills the stadium. Like a colony of ants, the performers on the field move in perfect unison. The feathers in their hats bobbing with each step. Their uniforms, all identical, make it difficult to tell one student from the next. The instruments perched at the same level. Eyes locked on the drum majors standing on their platforms up front. Music creating an atmosphere that makes your feet tap and buzzing lips tingle. This…is marching band.
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How does a marching band work?
A marching band is a group of musicians that perform, primarily, at football games and parades. There are also competitive marching bands that travel and compete at contests! A marching band is made up of the majority of instruments you would find in a concert band. The band usually meets in the month of August to start preparing music because the first football game, most often, occurs during the first week of school. These summer meetings are called “Band Camp.” They then proceed to meet daily when school resumes!
How do the performers learn to walk in all different directions perfectly in unison? During rehearsals, each student is given a drill packet. Drill is a series of pictures with formations drawn on them. The formations have how many measures of music it takes to walk from one position to the next. This drill is learned by the whole group and “drilled” over and over again until it looks like how the band director has envisioned it.
Is there a certain way to march? YES. When the performers step off on the first note of the song, all of them are expected to start with their left foot and follow with their right. This is very pleasing to the eye because it becomes a dance that the band does together. Marching bands do multiple band shows throughout the year, switching music and drill after a few shows.
How do bands afford instruments, nice uniforms, and performance trips? The answer to that question is…FUNDRAISING.
The BEST Marching Band Fundraiser
Rada Cutlery has worked with with hundreds of band programs across the nation to help them raise funds for their band programs. Fundraising is something that students look forward to because many of them would not be able to afford to travel with the band and participate in the activities that take place throughout the school year.
Nancy K. Olson, the Instrumental Instructor and Music Department Chair at Bottineau High School in Bottineau, ND speaks of the key role that Rada played in ensuring her students that they had the opportunity to travel with the band!
“When they begin band in 5th grade, they start their fundraising for their band trip, which they will go on once during their HS years. We travel every 4 years and go to places like New York City, Boston, Orlando, and places along the routes as we travel by coach buses and are gone about 10 days. Many of my students have not had the opportunity to travel as we are from a small, rural area in northern North Dakota where many families choose to take vacations closer to home.”
Many people in your community may be tired of the same ol’ fundraisers circulating the area. Olson explains that Rada Cutlery never gets old in her town!
“Rada products always go over well in our community. We see many repeat customers every year, and word of mouth has people wondering when we are having our next fundraiser. People have also expanded to many non-cutlery items and are repeat customers especially with the soup and dip mixes.
We do many fundraisers each year, and if we don’t have good sales response, I don’t continue with a product. We have sold Rada Products for many years so that speaks of itself and our community’s response to Rada products. I especially like that they package the items by seller, since our order has always qualified for that service, and I have never had anyone complain or return Rada products to me. The products are great and the company and their service are great.”
Jason Griffith, director of the Letcher Central High School Band in Whitesburg, KY had a similar experience in his town.
“Our community knows when we sell them and I am usually asked in June ‘when are you selling Rada? We didn’t get to place an order last year and we don’t want to miss a chance this year.’ We have customers that buy them as Christmas gifts–in July. The Rada knives sell. The name is well known and the quality sells itself. We usually cycle out some of our fundraisers from year to year due to not producing a good profit but this has never been the case with Rada Cutlery. We continue to sell Rada because it makes money and our customers like the fine line of products.“
Rada Mfg. Co. customer service representatives can tell you how wonderful our product is, but we prefer to let voices of our customers confirm our reputation for quality and value. Both Nancy and Jason would encourage you to try a Rada fundraiser in your near future.
“I plan to continue to do a Rada fundraiser until I retire, and then I hope my successor continues to do them too! Great company, great products, fair prices=a great fundraiser! My experiences have been nothing but positive, so if you are not doing a RADA Fundraiser, you have been missing out and you need to do one NOW!!!” – Nancy
“We just finished our Rada order and are pleased once again. Unlike so many other fundraisers that schools have (candy, popcorn, and a whole litany of overpriced, unhealthy junk food), the Rada Cutlery items are quality items at affordable prices that people use again and again. We have never had a problem with service before or after the sale. It is apparent that Rada Cutlery views customer satisfaction as the #1 priority. As a teacher who is always looking for additional funds, Rada Cutlery is at the top. The rate of profit is first-rate and Rada Cutlery orders are individually packaged for each student, unlike other companies that throw all the items in a box and ask the fundraiser coordinator to sort them out after they are shipped. Rada Cutlery has been perhaps the best student-led sales item I have used in my 22 years of teaching.” – Jason
At Rada Mfg. Co., our customers come first. Nancy and Jason are living proof.
Simple Sorting
Nancy and Jason both mentioned how much they love how the orders are sorted here at Rada Cutlery. We offer a simple sorting opportunity that puts a smile on our fundraiser client’s faces. Simple Sorting is for groups who accumulate $1,000 or more total sales. If they reach this, they are eligible to have their orders sorted by seller at no extra cost. The orders will come in individual boxes for each student. The order takers will be included in each box making for easier distribution.
This should be an incentive to strive towards because it will save your band program hours of tallying orders, adding totals, and sorting products after the fundraiser has come to an end! We take pride in our simple sorting feature. It is a service that makes our customers happy, and that in turn…makes us happy.
Do You Have Out-of-Town Supporters?
Rada offers online fundraising! Online fundraising is EASY fundraising. If you have relatives or friends that do not live in your town, no need to fret! Just set up a free account and you’ll receive an online shopping link to share with them!
They simply click on your link, look through our products, and place an order! Rada will ship the order directly to them and once a month direct deposit the profit into the group’s bank account! The prices and profit are the same as selling out of the Rada Cutlery fundraising catalog.
This is an incredible opportunity for individuals to reach outside of the limits of their own town to make sales that won’t cost them any gas money or additional effort! Perhaps the two best ways to promote the awareness of the online fundraising to supporters is through individual emails and Facebook posts.
Why should I fundraise with Rada Cutlery?
This is a question that you may be asking yourself. You may wonder why you shouldn’t just pick any other fundraiser this year. This is a valid question. If the customer comments and Rada Cutlery’s simple sorting and online fundraising options weren’t enough, below are some more benefits to fundraising with Rada. We hope that after reading this, you will agree that Rada Cutlery is the best fundraising option available!
1. Your group will receive a 40% profit!
This is an incredible chance to bring in a large sum of money for your band program! We offer profits that will allow any band to not only reach but EXCEED their fundraising goals.
2. Rada Cutlery is 100% made in the USA!
We are proud to offer ONLY products that are made in the United States of America. Rada Cutlery is based out of Waverly, IA! We eliminate the middleman, so your group will be the link between the assembly line and your supporters! This unique distribution helps you provide amazing value with your fundraiser!
3. There are THREE ways to sell!
The band members have the ability to offer the physical fundraising catalog to family, friends, neighbors, and classmates. Another option is for students to fundraise at an event to allow customers to see in person Rada’s unbeatable products! A third options to reach out-of-town friends and family is to set up an Online Fundraising account that allows them to place their order online! The selling methods that Rada offers is a win-win for every party involved. Click here to check out our Fundraising Starter Pack!
4. Rada has the best customer service around!
Our friendly customer service team is ready to help! Reach us using the options below:
Comments: Ask questions or share information with Rada Mfg. Co.
Live Chat: Talk to our Customer Service team during regular business hours.
Address: Rada Mfg. Co., PO Box 838, Waverly, IA 50677
Phone: 1-800-311-9691 (7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CST, M-F)
Email: CustomerService@RadaMfg.com
We put our customers first in every way, ensuring that 99% of all orders ship out within two working days!
5. We offer products that can’t be beat!
We offer a huge variety of kitchen products that your supporters can purchase to support your marching band fundraiser. Rada Cutlery offers oodles of cutlery and utensil pieces (including dozens of gift sets), scrumptious dip, soup, & dessert mixes, plus recipe & gift books, and much more! There is SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE (cook and non-cook alike) in our large selection of items! Click here to view our best-selling items!
6. Rada Cutlery offers LIFETIME guarantee on our cutlery!
There’s no better way to show customers how much we care than to ensure them that we are ready to take care of their cutlery needs for a lifetime.
Your Next Marching Band Fundraiser!
Our customers have been known to say that our Rada products sell themselves. We commonly hear from fundraisers that say that their community members ASK THEM when the next Rada fundraiser is going to take place because they don’t want to miss out! Rada Cutlery offers the best products, at the best prices, for the best customers…that’s YOU.
When your next band fundraiser season rolls around, keep Rada Cutlery in mind. Individuals who have a wonderful experience in high school band are more likely to continue on to play in a college band. Rada has the ability to help your program raise money to allow students to cover annual band fees, travel and see the world with the band, wear spectacular uniforms that make them feel a part of the group, and so much more. Choose Rada. Your kids will be successful…and in turn…inspired. Maybe just inspired enough to continue their band careers after they leave the walls of your school.
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The band hits their last note –
and it bounces off of the press box with a rich boom. The snare drum plays taps loud and clear. The band is marking the time in place with their feet in rhythm. In the blink of an eye they are all turned and facing the end zone. As the taps strike down on the head of the drum, the band marches off into the distance. Clouds of breathy vapor can be seen dancing above the musicians. The halftime show has come to an end…until next week, when the band members will be just as excited as the football players to make memories under the Friday night lights.
