News

The June meeting has been cancelled due to not being able to find a date and time that would work for the Board because of conference and vacation travel. The next meeting will be in August. Date and time TBD.

Friends,

As you know, the Alumni Band is in the process of refreshing and rebranding our image. This is for two reasons: one, a request from the WVU Alumni Association sent to all of its member organizations, and two, joining the nationwide trend of NCAA Division I School Alumni Bands towards a more professional appearance.

It is an exciting time. We have grown so much since our inception in 1969. Originally an organization created to facilitate Homecoming participation, the WVU Alumni Band, Inc is now a support affiliate of The Pride of West Virginia and an Ambassador for both the University and the State of West Virginia. For twenty years, Alumni Band Tours have traveled Europe’s major cities and country roads, spreading friendship and the mission of WVU through Music. In recent years, our Alumni Pep Bands have taken on a similar role throughout our home state, performing at a variety of sporting events, appearing on ESPN, civic events, charitable events, and memorial ceremonies. We are a family of thousands, spanning decades, all connected by our love for the WVU Bands.

We have received many good questions and requests from members for more information. First of all, THANK YOU for your interest! Your Thoughts Matter to the Executive Board. As Performance Chair, please allow me to explain what is currently happening.

1. We are starting with an image refresh for the Pep Bands. Over the last two years, many folks have expressed a wish for a new shirt that is not gold. The Spring Merchandise line features a navy Alumni Band T-shirt.  The great thing is this shirt is available to Everyone and not limited to only those who currently play or wish to play with the Pep Bands. We are pairing the shirt with khaki pants or shorts. Add your favorite tennis shoes or sandals (no flip flops, please) and you’re set to go! Khakis are MUCH cooler in the summer months and have a cleaner, more professional look. This look is very similar to what our European Tour Alumni Bands have been wearing for years. Please do not worry about the “shade of khaki.” It will all blend well. We currently have a pop up link active under the Performance Dress Code tab on our homepage. While you are there, please check out the other new items appearing in this initial launch, which will extend through midnight May 22nd.

2. The Executive Board is currently working on Homecoming details. If you look at the Performance Dress Code page, you will see it listed as TBA - To Be Announced. We have several possibilities and are working very hard with multiple parties. Our goal is to finalize details and release information in early July. We know there are a lot of rumors flying, but we truly have not made any final decisions. Please be patient - the end result will be worth it.

3. When you look at our current Pop-Up Merchandise Shop, you will see several items have been released in this first launch. Scott Mahaney has worked tirelessly to develop a new line of Alumni Band gear. Just like in the fashion world, our merchandise is appearing in several releases over time. This is simply our first sashay down the catwalk. We have some wonderful new items ahead!

4. Your questions and comments are always welcome and appreciated!  Please contact us via email at the following email addresses. We can provide a much better answer through this method than a Facebook comment will allow.

• John Sinsel, President, JohnSinsel@wvualumniband.org
• Al Hall, Vice President, AlHall@wvualumniband.org
• Ellen Ramey, Performance Chair EllenRamey@wvualumniband.org
• WVU Alumni Band, Inc, Info@wvualumniband.org

Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope I have provided a more detailed, clear understanding of the project. Your involvement in the WVU Alumni Band is valued and I am honored to be of service to this outstanding organization. RFL.

With deepest respect,

Ellen

Ellen Woods Ramey, Ed.S.

Performance Chair

The WVU Alumni Band, Inc. is excited to announce our 2nd Annual Family Day at the Gold-Blue Spring Game, Saturday, April 22, 2023! In addition to playing in the stands with The Pride of West Virginia, we will have a pre-game member/family tailgate and a post-game mixer with senior members of The Pride.

The Tailgate will be free for members. Guests and non-members will be $10 for those 13 years of age and older. Twelve and under eat for free! The tailgate will be catered by Apple Annie's of Morgantown, WV. Be sure to register here to attend. For more information about the tailgate and mixer, please visit the the 2023 Gold-Blue Spring Game page at our website.

Registration - Registration is open through April 20, 2023. If you plan to play in the stands with The Pride, we ask that you please register in advance. The Band Office needs to have a count of all those attending. Any updates for the event, including the schedule, will be sent to only those registered.

Attire - Please plan to wear a gold shirt (short or long sleeved) and Khaki pants. The shirt should be family appropriate. 

Rental Equipment - Rental equipment will be free and can be secured during registration. Please reserve your equipment by Friday, April 14, 2022. After that date we cannot guarantee availability.

Gold-Blue Spring Game Tickets - You can purchase your game event ticket(s) from WVU in advance here. Tickets are $10 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit WVU Medicine Children's. Everyone must have a ticket to attend the game.

We will receive a schedule and music closer to the event from the Band Office. The final schedule any any updates concerning the event will be posted at our website here. 

We hope to see you there!

Greetings!

It is that time of year again to renew your membership for 2023 and be a part of everything the Alumni Band has planned! We have exciting member opportunities coming up soon that you don’t want to miss!

Membership dues are $40.00. However, if you pay your dues by March 31^st, an early bird discount will apply, and the dues payment will be $25.00. The earlier you pay your dues, the more you can enjoy the events that the Alumni Band has to offer.  

Membership renewal for 2023 is being processed as an "Event" from our website. You will find the 2023 membership renewal under the “Membership Payment and Event Registration Portal” tab or on the homepage under Upcoming Events. 

Pay By Check: To pay by check, please see the mailing address below. If you have any questions while processing your membership, please contact Sarah at Webmaster@wvualumniband.org. If you have questions about your payment, please contact Theresa at TheresaSmith@wvualumniband.org. 

Committees: A committee member application form is now available on the website in the member only section (Committee Form). After paying your membership dues, please take some time to complete the application if you are interested in serving on any of our committees for 2023.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@wvualumniband.org. Stay safe and Let’s Go Mountaineers!

Sincerely,

Officers and Board of Directors, WVU Alumni Band Inc., 2022-2023

WVU Alumni Band, Inc.

WVU Alumni Association

PO Box 4269

Morgantown, WV 26504

WVU will take on Oklahoma State, on Oct. 21st during Homecoming weekend 2023.

The February meeting is being held virtually (via Zoom) on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 7:00PM.  This is a member-only event for those that paid their 2023 dues.  You must RSVP in order to participate.  The link to register is under the tab Membership Payment and Event Registration Portal.

Zoom credentials will be sent to registered dues paid members on Saturday, February 4, 2023.  We hope to see you there!

As a reminder, please complete the Committee Form when you visit our website.  There will be plenty of activities this year and members ideas and support are needed to make them a success.

Greetings fellow Alumni Band members!

We hope each of you had a fun-filled holiday season. We also wish each and every one of you health and happiness in 2023.  

Past Events

Homecoming 2022 is in the books! We had a wonderful turnout for the parade and party on Friday night and then Saturday morning for the performance of pregame with The Pride of West Virginia. Members were able to socialize with old friends and enjoy a great buffet from Vice Versa. The Pride of WV pep band stopped by to treat members to a few tunes at the party. Saturday was a new adventure with registration and rehearsal being held at Mountaineer Field. Members enjoyed a light breakfast and lunch from Apple Annie’s before the game with TCU. Members were able to relive their college days by marching with The Pride down Law School Hill and entering the tunnels for pregame.

The year was also a grand celebration of 50 years of women in the band! Festivities kicked off with Angelia Barnett and John Sinsel, accompanied by 1972 Pride member Cindi Shockey, receiving a proclamation celebrating 50 years of women in the band, from Commissioner Tom Bloom of the Monongalia County Commission. The women returning for the weekend participated in the Friday parade and party activities. The class of 1972 women received the Outstanding Alumni Award for 2022 during our annual meeting. These women also received special recognition during the game on Saturday from WVU. Those attending included: Angie Arnold Bowman, Jill Cochran, Joyce Minyard Dawley, Coral Lea Naggy Totten (all part of the Dirty Dozen, attending band camp the first year). Also attending was Eileen Smith Dallabrida and Alcinda "Cindy" Trickett Shockey who joined the band right after band camp in 1972. Thank you ladies for paving the way for women in the band!   

After the practice with The Pride on Saturday morning, the 2022 annual WVU Alumni Band, Inc. meeting was held at the tunnel entrance to the stadium. The following are highlights from the meeting:

• The President, Mary Lechliter-King, gave an update about activities since the 2021 annual meeting. This included membership meeting information from the past year, updates concerning The Pride picnic during band camp, a reminder that the Alumni Band needs people to help on numerous committees, and the fundraising efforts of the Alumni Band to help The Pride of West Virginia.
• Ellen Ramey was announced as our Outstanding Alumni recipient for 2021. Congratulations, Ellen!
• Catherine Slawson was the winner of the WVU Alumni Association Lifetime Membership. Congratulations, Catherine!
• An update to the makeup of the Alumni Band board was discussed and approved by the membership. The board will then select the officers for the Alumni Band.
• It was also discussed that the Alumni Band is looking to integrate better with the Alumni Association as well as upcoming events for the rest of 2022 and into 2023.
• 2022-2023 Officers and Board of Directors.

President - John Sinsel

Vice President - Al Hall

Secretary - Hope Poole

Treasurer - Theresa Smith

Board Member/Website/Membership - Sarah Bennett-Harper

Board Member/Past President - Mary Lechliter-King

Board Member - Angelia Barnett

Board Member - Jeff Caplinger

Board Member - Scott Mahaney

Board Member - Dave O’Neal

Board Member - Ellen Ramey

Board Member - Sean Sawyer

Upcoming Events

1. February Membership Meeting - Members are invited to attend our February meeting, Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 7:00pm. Registration information will be provided around January 22, 2023 to those with a 2023 membership (more information about 2023 memberships below).

2. St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pittsburgh, PA - The event is scheduled for March 11, 2023. At this time, we plan to participate. To register and for more information about the parade, please visit the website.    

3. Gold-Blue Game – Waiting on the date from WVU Athletics.

4. World Association of Marching Show Bands 2023 World      Championships – Grand Feature Parade of Nations participation, Saturday, July 22, 2023. This week-long event is being held in Buckhannon, WV. More than twenty-three countries will be represented. Information will be released soon about how you can participate in this event.

5. The Pride Band Camp Picnic – date TBD

6. Fundraising Events Supporting The Pride – dates TBD

2023 Membership Dues 

With all these exciting events coming up (and a lot more on the way), its that time of year again to renew your membership for 2023 and be a part of everything the Alumni Band has planned and will be planning in the future. Membership renewal for 2023 will be processed as an "Event" from our website. Starting today, you can go to the website to process your payment. You will find the 2023 membership renewal under the “Membership Payment and Event Registration Portal” tab or on the homepage under Upcoming Events. Membership dues are $40.00. However, if you pay your dues by March 31^st, an early bird discount will apply, and the dues payment will be $25.00. The earlier you pay your dues, the more you can enjoy the events that the Alumni Band has to offer.  

We rely on membership dues to pay for our general operating costs, such as fees for the storage unit, insurance, website, and office supplies. As a reminder, any event fees that the Alumni Band takes in for events like Homecoming only pay for that event and do not fund our general operating costs.

We are moving toward a fully electronic payment system for dues and events.  However, if you need to pay by check, please see the mailing address below. If you have any questions while processing your membership, please contact Sarah at Webmaster@wvualumniband.org. If you have questions about your payment, please contact Theresa at TheresaSmith@wvualumniband.org. 

We really rely on you, our members, to keep this organization going while continuing to provide support to the Pride of West Virginia in all its endeavors. Please consider renewing your membership by March 31^st if you are a current member and if you’re not a member, come join us and see what we have in store for 2023.

Committees

A committee member application form is now available on the website in the member only section (Committee Form). After paying your membership dues, please take some time to complete the application if you are interested in serving on any of our committees for 2023.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@wvualumniband.org. Stay safe and Let’s Go Mountaineers!

Sincerely,

Officers and Board of Directors, WVU Alumni Band Inc., 2022-2023

WVU Alumni Band, Inc.

WVU Alumni Association

PO Box 4269

Morgantown, WV 26504

Six new board members were elected during the organizations annual meeting October 29th. Please welcome Jeff Caplinger, Al Hall, Scott Mahaney, Ellen Ramey, Sean Sawyer, and Theresa Smith. 

We have been invited by Dr. Williams and The Pride to spend Homecoming Game Day shadowing them from practice through pre-game! Please read this entire email so you do not miss several important updates concerning Homecoming Weekend 2022.

Game Day

WVU Athletics is graciously working with the Band Office and our Board of Directors to accommodate us spending the day with The Pride and all of our game day activities. Some game day highlights include:

• Limited number of parking passes near the stadium. Carpooling will be encouraged.
• Registration in the Indoor Practice Facility (IPF), located directly behind the stadium across from the Press Box tunnel.
• Combined pre-game show rehearsal at Mountaineer Field.
• Joining The Pride on Law School Hill and marching as a unit with them to the tunnels.
• Playing in the stands! This year we will be bringing our instruments back to our seats so we can play some of our pre-game music during the game.

Only those registered to march pre-game will be allowed to enter the facility for practice. You must have your wristband and personal ticket/ticket lanyard for entry. If you have a pre-teen/teen with you as your guest, please let us know ASAP at info@wvualumniband.org.

Details are being worked out with the Band Office and a formal schedule with game day details is forthcoming. All updates for the weekend will be sent out by email and also available under the tab Homecoming 2022 at the website.

After Homecoming, WVU Athletics, the Band Office and our Board of Directors will meet to discuss how the day turns out this year to determine if this is something that can continue in the future. WVU Athletics and the Band Office have made it very clear that our alcohol policy applies to all of the facilities we enter (i.e., Mountaineer Field, IPF) for rehearsal, registration, annual meeting, and pre-game. The success of the day will determine future game day activities spent with The Pride.

Additional Guest Ticket

If you would like to purchase an additional guest ticket for the game, you may do so by emailing Sarah at Webmaster@wvualumniband.org. Guest tickets are $70.

Parade Time Change

Parade time step-off is 6:00pm. This time change is due to the high school MoHawk Bowl held Friday evening.

Rental Equipment

If you are in need of rental equipment, you must have your reservation in by Friday, October 21, 2022. Please email John at Equipment@wvualumniband.org with any questions you may have.

Let’s Go Mountaineers!