Booster Benefits, with Lara Wolford

Choir Ninja, with Ryan Guth

No matter where you direct, there never seems to be enough time or enough money. But there is a ready made support system of people already invested in the success of your program that may help you reclaim more of each. Lara Wolford discusses ways to use parent boosters to help with everything from fundraising to running sound at you concerts. It can be a beautifully symbiotic system that benefits the parents as much as the director!

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Highlight to Tweet: “It gives more enjoyment to know that you contributed to the end process.” -Lara Wolford

Show Notes:

• Choirs need a successful Music Boosters program! It’s a symbiotic relationship - they need us as much as we need them.
• A functioning and active Boosters program provides an amazing support system for both students and directors. Boosters give parents an opportunity to get involved and support the program in the best way possible.
• As a director, it’s important to have a presence in the Music Boosters by keeping them informed, allowing them to be part of decisions that affect them, and supporting them. Directors should function as advisors.
• Protect your authority. You need to have the final say about concerts dates, retreats, and especially artistic decisions. There should be clear boundaries and expectations.
• Ways your Boosters can help you:
• • Fundraising (a necessary part of any choral program)
  • How best to allocate funds raised
  • Assessing and assisting with concert needs: someone selling spirit wear, manning the door, running the sound.
  • Think Tank - they bring different perspectives to the table that can influence our decisions as directors.

Bio:

Lara Wolford is the choir director and general music teacher at Bethel Local Schools in Tipp City, OH. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Lara serves as an advisor for Muse Machine (a locally based arts education program), and stage manages and vocal directs the high school musical productions. In 2014, she directed her first middle school musical, Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr., and is working to grow that program every year!Lara is a 2012 graduate of Miami University, where she was a student conductor of the Miami University Collegiate Chorale, working with Dr. Jeremy Jones and Dr. Ethan Sperry. She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Music Education through Miami’s summer program, and lives in Ohio with her crazy cats Siri, Alexa, and Ursula. Lara is obsessed with riding roller coasters with her nephews, finding ingredients for the perfect smoothie, and discovering new musicals to listen to.

Resources/links Mentioned:

• Beth Richey Sullivan-When You’re Not Their First Love
• Choir Nation group on Facebook
• Patreon - Support the podcast!

Sponsored by:

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