Pickup

We had a great time at Common Fields last Thursday as we got together for the first time as a group! It was a solid turnout of great folks, and we went over some of the basics of our group. In case you missed it, here is what we chatted about.

Who we are

Lavender Guard Bands (or Lavender Guard for short) is a grassroots community group started by band kids who miss marching and wanted to build queer community. While Lavender Guard may eventually branch out into having other groups, we are starting with a marching/pep band called the Lavender Guard Band. This will consist of LGBTQIA+ members and leadership, though allies are welcome to volunteer with us.

Lavender Guard’s Mission

To create community of queer musicians and generate positive representation of LGBTQIA+ people within the Willamette Valley area.

Our Goals

We have big ideas for Lavender Guard in the long term, but we want to start simple. We will likely begin with performing at community events such as Pride events, vigils, and local gatherings. If you are interested in hiring the Lavender Guard to perform at one of your events, please reach out to us at admin@lavenderguard.com!

Down the line, we are also considering collaborations with organizations such as the Pride Band Alliance and the Soundsport Division of Drum Corps International. We would also love to design and perform a full field show with drill. However, we want to solidify our own identity and culture as a group before we start getting too ahead of ourselves.

Expectations of Members

We have a few things we expect of band members in order to keep things running smoothly. Firstly, we ask that members come to most weekly rehearsals, which will take place on Mondays from 7-9pm. If you know you’ll miss a rehearsal or won’t be performing at at event, we ask that members let their section leader know as far ahead in advance as possible.

We are also requesting that members pay dues monthly (or annually, if preferred). Dues are $15/month, but for those who can’t afford that, we offer a sliding scale of $5-15/month according to what a member can pay.

If dues would prevent someone from being able to join, please have them reach out to us at admin@lavenderguard.com so we can discuss potential scholarships. If you would like to help sponsor a member, please consider donating to our Givebutter page at givebutter.com/lavguard or contributing extra as part of your dues. We appreciate your help in making Lavender Guard as accessible as possible to our community!

Finally, we ask that members follow community guidelines as outlined in band member handbook, which we will be sending out to our email list shortly. If you are not currently signed up for our email list, please fill out the form on our About page or contact us at–you guessed it–admin@lavenderguard.com.

Volunteer Opportunities

If you are interested in helping out Lavender Guard, we would love to have your help! Here is a wishlist of potential roles that we are looking to fill.

Board Members
Artistic Co-Director
Fundraising Team
Set-Up & Take-Down Crew
Section Leaders
Guard Instructor
Movement Instructor
Safety & First Aid Officer
Musical Arranger
Recruitment & Outreach Coordinator
Photographer
Visual Designer (Uniforms, Flags, etc.)

Anyone interested in volunteering should reach out through our email (yep, admin@lavenderguard.com) to learn how to get started.

Finally, if you know anyone who would be interested in donating to our group to help us cover costs such as rehearsal space, music rights, and instruments, please pass on our Givebutter page, which has options for both one-time and recurring donations.

We are also looking for potential sponsors, so feel free to reach out to our email (say it with me now: admin@lavenderguard.com) for more information on becoming a community partner with Lavender Guard!

Hurray!

Thank you all for your support in getting Lavender Guard up and running. We’re looking forward to starting rehearsals very soon, and I’m excited to see what we can all do together.

Take care.

-Autumn