Here is information for the LVW members and support staff as you prepare for the July 2, 3, and 4 parades, as well as the trip to Traverse City.  

It will be the "BIGGEST WEEK OF THE SEASON" with six parades in seven days!  The first parade of this week will take place on Sunday, July 2, at the Hartland Hometown Celebration Parade.  The next day, Monday night, July 3, we march in the Menomonee Falls Independence Day Parade.  We will then be participating in two parades on our nation's birthday, July 4, in Racine and Somers.  Then on Wednesday the band heads to our "home away from home" at the National Cherry Festival in beautiful Traverse City, Michigan.  The band will participate in parades on Thursday, July 6 and Saturday, July 8.  Over the years - more often than not - we have ended our season in Traverse City.  We have not been there since 2018, so this will be much needed return to the city and festival that so many LVW members and volunteers have come to love and appreciate!

Many thanks go out to our crew of volunteers!  Our kitchen coordinators and workers put in more time than anyone can imagine keeping our band fed and well nourished!  The uniform staff has done well to keep us looking awesome!  Again, their work behind the scenes and on off days is much appreciated.   Thanks especially to Tim Klemp, our Volunteer Coordinator, Michelle Klemp, our Food Service Coordinator, and Chuck Adrian, our Head Uniform Custodian.  A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS!

The first three weeks of our season have been spent primarily in rehearsal with a few parades.  The kids and staff have pushed to make our parade performances as good as they can possibly be.  They have successfully added "Clouds that Sail in Heaven" with new guard work, music, and drill.  They have added the "backwards marching" during the Doxology Tag.  Their efforts will finally be rewarded with some much needed Free Time and Fun Time for socializing!


Here are some of the fun/free time activities we have planned:

1.  Tuesday, July 4 -  Mr. Wordell has once again planned out some great fun for the LVW family!

We will be spending several hours on the Kenosha Lakefront/Harbor area (the link includes a map of the area).  It will include a meal “On Your Own” for supper, as well as an amazing fireworks show.  LVW will supply each marching member with $10 cash for this meal.

There are several food options in the area.  We will give the band members more detailed information when we arrive at the Harbor area.  Plan on eating either at a restaurant or choose from several food trucks/booths.  Most of these eateries will be open until 9:00 PM that night.

There will be a Carnival in the area!  It will be very close to all of the other activities.  It will be located in the parking lot on 6th Avenue between 54th and 56th Street.  There will be amusements and rides available.  So if a carnival is your thing, bring some money to spend and have some fun!

Kenosha is known to have one of the best fireworks shows in the Midwest!  They will be launched right on the Lake Michigan beach, with beautiful viewing along the lake. It’s hard to tell at this time what the weather will be like on Tuesday, but Mr. Wordell is suggesting that we bring blankets, jackets, and skeeter spray (after all the rain the past few days).  The show is scheduled to begin at about 9:30 PM.  We will designate a meeting spot, so all LVW members will need to be there before 9:30 so we can take attendance before the fireworks begin.

2.  Friday, July 7 - After a morning rehearsal, the band will be taking the rest of the day off for free time at the National Cherry Festival!  We are making a return to the Sleeping Bear Dunes near Traverse City.  Then LVW will have several hours at the National Cherry Festival grounds as well as Downtown Traverse City. In all of our years traveling with the band - Traverse City seems to be our favorite destination!  LVW members will need SPENDING MONEY for shopping downtown as well as at the Festival Grounds.  LVW will again supply each marching member with $10 cash on this day to be used for their supper, as they will be "on their own" at the festival and downtown.

We will be staying at Kettle Moraine Lutheran HS on Sunday evening, and at Shoreland Lutheran HS on Monday and Tuesday evening until we depart for Traverse City on Wednesday morning, so all staff and LVW members are to pack accordingly.  Remember, you should pack for SEVEN days, but again try to utilize small suitcases and duffel bags. We are traveling with school buses on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday so space will be VERY limited.  We will be traveling on luxurious Personalized Tours Motorcoaches for the trip to Traverse City!  

Performance Summary
Here is a summary of our performances this coming week.  The links provided here and in the daily itinerary below will take you directly to information provided by each parade committee or organization.  You will see routes, times, and maps.  There are also links to locations and other parade information on our Google Calendar on the Schedule tab.  Click on each event for more info!

Sunday, July 2 – Hartland Hometown Celebration Parade (1:30 PM)
Monday, July 3 – Menomonee Falls Independence Day Parade (7:00 PM)
Tuesday, July 4 – Racine 4th Fest Parade (9:00 AM); Somers July 4th Parade (2:00 PM)
Wednesday, July 5 - Travel to Traverse City, move into housing at Trinity Lutheran School
Thursday, July 6 – Cherry Festival Community Royale Parade (6:30 PM)
Friday, July 7 - Morning rehearsal, afternoon at the Dunes and evening Downtown Traverse City
Saturday, July 8 – Cherry Royale Parade (11:15 AM); then return home

Tour Housing and Emergency Contact Information:

Kettle Moraine Lutheran HS (Sunday night)
3399 Division Rd, Jackson, WI 53037

Shoreland Lutheran HS (Monday and Tuesday nights)
9026 12th St, Kenosha, WI 53144

Trinity Lutheran Church and School (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights)
1003 South Maple
Traverse City, MI 49684
Trinity Lutheran Church and School: 231-946-2720

Emergency contact information:
James Neujahr Mobile Phone - 920-740-3924

LVW Medications Permissions Information and Form

It was brought to our attention that, on the medical form that you have filled out (which contains medical conditions and allergy information), we don’t necessarily have permission to give over-the-counter medications to LVW members if they need it.  Some of our members regularly carry medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and the like.  However, many of our members don’t carry them as a rule.
Some of our members also carry epi pens and similar emergency or life-saving medications that are prescribed.  We also want to make sure that the LVW Medical Volunteer is aware of these medications.

Please read the LVW Medications Permissions Information.  
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Once you have completed reading the information, please go to the Medications Permissions Form to give your permission for our LVW Medical Volunteer(s) to administer over-the-counter medications, and possibly prescription medications to your LVW member(s).  Please fill out one Medications Permissions Form for each LVW member.

Packing List
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It is VERY IMPORTANT that you have your luggage, backpacks, sleeping bags, etc. LABELED WITH YOUR NAME and SCHOOL!  It is likely that, due to our packing situation on school buses and the coaches, your gear will not all be together.  There will also be times when some gear must go on certain buses, and even certain bays underneath a certain bus.  So labeling your gear will be required.  Please get luggage tags or use another system that works for you.  THANK YOU FOR COMPLYING WITH THIS SIMPLE REQUEST!

1    Sleeping bag and pillow
2.    Air mattress (optional) - Some of our members have HUGE air mattresses that are about the size of a medium suitcase when not inflated.  If you have other options for this trip, or a smaller air mattress, PLEASE CONSIDER OUR SPACE LIMITATIONS!
3.    ONE suitcase and ONE SMALL Carry-on bag (for motorcoach travel and change of clothes) - PLEASE NOTE – we will have VERY LIMITED SPACE for the first few days as we travel on school buses.  If your sleeping bag/pillow fit into your suitcase, please pack it that way.
4.    All personal items as needed (towel, soap and shampoo, change of clothes, DEODORANT, etc.)
5.    BLACK SHOES AND SOCKS, BLACK A-4 T-SHIRTS, BLACK GLOVES, GUARD APPAREL, ETC. (we have SIX parades on this trip!).  It would be wise to plan on hand-washing your uniform socks/A4 shirts a few times on this trip.  Packing a small bottle of Woolite or laundry detergent would be a good idea.
6.    LVW 2023 Season T-Shirt 
7.    Instruments, music, etc.
8.    Water jugs, sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, comfortable marching shoes, hats, etc.

EXTRA INFO - students may want to bring swimsuits and towels, as there is a very nice beach area near the Cherry Festival grounds.  Some students also choose to walk the approximately 2 miles from the Dunes to the Lake Michigan shoreline.  Swimming is optional for all LVW students.

Items to consider having on the Personalized Tours Motorcoaches for our trip to Traverse City:

Bring on the coach bus in your small carry-on bag
1.     Charging cord for devices (there's an outlet on each side of the bus and every other row of seats) - a small power strip works well for multiple devices!
2.     Headphones 
3.     A blanket (air conditioning is quite chilly)
4.     A DVD movie (one to watch on the bus monitors, PG-13, PG, or G.) - NOTE - the buses can play DVD, not Blu-Ray.
5.     Comfy clothes and sweatshirt for bus ride
6.     A few snacks for the bus ride, but not many and nothing messy. 
 
Here is information from Personalized Tours concerning food and beverages on the Motorcoach:

• We require that ALL drinks brought onboard have a screw-on type cap or a lid. NO GLASS CONTAINERS WILL BE ALLOWED.  Any food wrappers or trash associated with bringing food and drinks aboard must be disposed of in the proper receptacle.  It is the responsibility of the LVW members to make sure the bus stays clean!
• DAIRY PRODUCTS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON THE COACH!! This includes milk, milkshakes, ice cream, and ice cream coffee drinks. If they are spilled on a seat, it leaves a sour milk smell that does not come out. 
• Absolutely no gum, sunflower seeds, or shelled peanuts are allowed on the motorcoach. 
• Food & drinks on the coach is a privilege and can be revoked by the driver if inappropriate behavior warrants such action.

And, regarding spending money...

• Set aside $15-20 for the Traverse City marching band t-shirt. I am not sure if they still offer these.  If so, they can be purchased at the Cherry Festival grounds.  Band members can purchase them if they wish.
• Set aside money for your supper at the Cherry Festival Fairgrounds/TC downtown for the evening of Friday, July 7.  There are MANY choices of great places to eat, from nicer restaurants and bistros downtown to vendor tents in the Festival Grounds and the Carnival.  Obviously, some places are more expensive than others.  NOTE – LVW will give each marching member $10 for this purpose, but it likely won’t be enough.
  
  Checkout Procedures for Saturday, July 8:
  
  If you are going to be picked up following the Cherry Royale parade, and are not traveling home with LVW, the following procedures MUST be followed:
  
  1.  Your parents must pick you up following the parade. That will be on Saturday after the Cherry Royale Parade. If you pick up your child after the parade, please pick up your child at Trinity Lutheran Church and School.  Please be aware, if you are picking up your child, you must be there before the band is ready to leave. If you are not there when the band is ready to leave, your child will come with the band to Wisconsin, and you can pick them up at one of our designated drop off locations.
  
  2.  Your parents must check you out with the attendance chaperon from your bus. This must be done with you and your parent present.
  
  3.   If your parents are not there when the band is ready to leave, you will come with us. We leave no one behind – EVER!
  
  4.  You may not ride home with anyone else other than your parents UNLESS you have a written permission signed by your parents, and UNLESS that written permission is put into our hands. Parents may also email either Mr. Neujahr or Mr. Klemp, or text Mr. Neujahr at 920-740-3924 with that information.  If you are bringing a signed note, DON’T FORGET THE NOTE AT HOME, because there are NO EXCEPTIONS!
  
  Daily Itinerary for Sunday through Saturday
  
  

Sunday, July 2 - Students should pack a BAG LUNCH for today!
7:30 AM               Arrive at FVL, Pack gear on buses
8:00 AM               Depart for KML
8:45 AM               Pick Up students at Kwik Trip #242, 980 Hickory Street, Fond du Lac, WI 54935
9:30 AM               Arrive Kettle Moraine LHS – Unload gear, move into housing
9:45 AM               Brief Stretch and Rehearsal
10:45 AM             Bag Lunch, Change into uniform, load
11:30  AM             Depart for Hartland, WI (Hartland Staging Area and Parade Route).
12:15 PM              Arrive Hartland.  LVW is #42 of 80 units in the parade (Hartland Parade Line Up).  
1:30 PM               Parade Begins
3:30 PM               Parade Ends – Load buses and head KML
4:15 PM               Arrive Kettle Moraine LHS.  Group Pictures in Uniform
5:00 PM              Change out of uniform
5:30 PM              Supper
6:30 PM              Rehearsal
9:00 PM              Devotion
10:00 PM            Lights Out
Monday, July 3
7:30 AM               Wake Up, Shower, Eat Breakfast
8:30 AM               Rehearsal
11:30 AM              Lunch
12:15 PM              Rehearsal
2:00 PM                Rehearsal ends, Clean School
4:00 PM                Pack, Load Truck and Buses
4:30 PM               Depart for Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran School, N84 W15252 Menomonee Ave, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
4:50 PM               Arrive Bethlehem Lutheran School, Unload
5:00 PM               Supper
5:45 PM               Change into uniform, pre-parade warm up at Bethlehem
7:00 PM               Parade begins – Parade ends at Menomonee Falls HS, W142 N8101 Merrimac Dr, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051                                LVW is #37 out of 63 Parade Units
10:00 PM             Depart for Shoreland Lutheran HS (9026 12th St, Kenosha, WI 53144)
11:00 PM             Arrive Shoreland LHS – Unload, move in
12:00 AM             Lights Out

Tuesday, July 4
Wednesday, July 4 – Happy Birthday, America!  Parade Day! Evening Free Time and Fireworks!

6:15 AM               Wake up, shower, eat, change into uniform
7:00 AM               Buses arrive - Pack and load at Shoreland LHS
7:30 AM               Depart for Racine Parade Line Up
8:15 AM               Arrive line up, unload, warm up
9:00 AM               Racine Fourth Fest Parade begins - LVW is #56 in this parade.
11:30 AM             Depart for Shoreland Lutheran HS, Somers
12:00 PM             Arrive Shoreland Lutheran HS. Eat lunch, prepare for Somers Parade.
2:00 PM               Somers Parade Begins. 
3:30 PM               Return to Shoreland LHS following the parade.  Change, Shower, Relax Time!
5:00 PM               Depart for Kenosha Lakefront - There is more information on this earlier in this post.
10:30 PM             Return to Shoreland LHS (after the fireworks are finished).  
11:30 PM             Devotion and Lights Out

Wednesday, July 5
Travel Day – Kenosha to Traverse City, MI (387 Miles) – Rest Stops along the way
Upon arrival, we will unload and move into our housing at Trinity Lutheran School.  Possible Evening Rehearsal and Free Time to Relax before lights out.

Thursday, July 6
Rehearsal Day, Community Royale Parade

7:30 AM               Wake Up, Shower, Eat Breakfast
8:30 AM               Rehearsal
11:30 PM              Lunch
12:30 PM             Rehearsal
4:30 PM               Supper
5:15 PM               Change into Half Uniform, load buses/truck
5:45 PM               Depart for line up
6:30 PM               Community Royale Parade Begins – LVW is #53 out of 101 units in this parade
8:30 PM               Return to Trinity, change out of uniform
8:30 PM               Relax Time
10:30 PM             Devotion
11:00 PM             Lights out

Friday, July 7
Rehearsal day; Sleeping Bear Dunes, Cherry Festival Grounds, Downtown Traverse City

7:30 AM               Wake up, shower, eat
8:30 AM               Rehearsal
11:30 AM             Lunch
12:30 PM             Depart for Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
1:15 PM               Arrive Dunes
4:15 PM               Depart for Cherry Festival
5:00 PM               Arrive National Cherry Festival
5:00 PM               SUPPER IS ON YOUR OWN. LVW will supply members $10 for supper.  Bring money for souvenirs, shopping
9:00 PM               Return to Trinity
11:15 PM             Devotion
11:45 PM             Lights out

Saturday, July 8
DTE Energy Cherry Royale Parade
Travel Home

7:30 AM               Wake Up, Shower, eat breakfast
8:30 AM.              Pack and Load as much as possible before getting into uniform
11:00 AM             Change into uniform
11:30 AM             Depart for Line up
11:15 AM             Cherry Royale Parade Begins –  LVW is #131 out of 133 units in this parade
2:00 PM               Return to Trinity
2:30 PM               Change out of uniform, eat lunch, shower, Final Cleaning, Packing and Loading
4:00 PM               Depart for home
6:30 PM               Supper along the way (TBD)
7:30 PM               Depart for home - Change watches BACK one hour when you get to Chicago
10:15 PM.            Relief Driver switch at SLHS
10:45 PM              Arrive Wisconsin LHS
11:15 PM              Arrive KML (Stop at FDL Kwik Trip – Time TBD)
1:15 AM                Arrive FVL 

I Chronicles 29:11     "Lord Our God - All that is in the Heavens and the earth is Yours."

Things are going VERY WELL at our second camp of the summer!  All three sections are putting a lot of effort into our third song for this summer - Clouds that Sail in Heaven.  While we will not be playing that selection on the street in Chilton, the band has made significant progress on Clouds.  

We are quite sure that you are going to LOVE Clouds!  It is based on the hymn tune "Lasst Uns Erfreuen", which many of us know better as the hymn "From All That Dwells Below the Skies".  This selection was also the inspiration for our seasonal T-shirt this year, from 1 Chronicles 29:11 - "Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

Clouds is also, by far, the most challenging selection we are playing this summer.  In fact, we have not attempted music of this difficulty level since before COVID and the "relaunch" of LVW.  Having said that, however, the band is taking on this challenge in a way that they have approached every challenge - and that is with the greatest effort with the gifts with which they have been blessed.  I truly hope that you will be able to attend at least one of our parades during the week of July 2 - 8 to hear Clouds on the street. It is the type of musical selection for which LVW has come to be known over the years - strong, recognizable, Christian music!

Camp #3 Information
The next camp is primarily a rehearsal camp, with no parades.  And since it is only a two day camp, the kids will only be spending one night at FVL.  Therefore, they can pack lightly!

The Camp will begin at FVL on Saturday morning, June 24, at 10:00 AM. 

PLEASE NOTE:  Here is information Mrs. Hohenstein sent  to parents from the "Southern Schools" last week concerning travel for this coming weekend.  After meeting with the students from KML, WLHS, WLA, and LPS, it seems like the kids/families/parents have a pretty good start of transportation to and from the camp.

From Mrs. Hohenstein: Please visit the google sheet about transportation.  There is no bus for June 24,25.  There will be TWO vans from KML that can fit some of us--so we're opening that up to KML kids first. We ask that the rest of you carpool/drive themselves since there is no parade and it is just one night.  Please sign up yes/no for the vans on June 24,25 by the end of the week so we can open it up to the other schools. 

Form is here: KML Transportation Google Form

Thanks, all!!

Mrs. Hohenstein

The Camp will conclude on Sunday, June 25, at 4:00 PM. 

No Parades Next Weekend
The packing list for Camp #3 will be a bit different from the first two camps, since there are no parades.  So the band members will not need to bring their Black Shoes/Socks and A4 Compression Shirts.  

Two Standstill Concert Performances on June 24
We have been invited to perform standstill concerts at two senior assisted living homes next weekend!  For those two performances, the band members will be wearing their Seasonal T-Shirt and shorts/tennis shoes.  Please - pack a nice pair of shorts for these performances, rather than athletic or bike-style shorts.  Please don't forget the seasonal shirt at home!

The performances will be on Saturday afternoon, June 24.  The first will be at Aspire Senior Living in Kimberly.  The Executive Director at Aspire is a former LVW member from Manitowoc Lutheran HS.  So it was natural that she wanted LVW to perform for the residents!  The second will be at Rennes/Renaissance Assisted Living in Appleton.  We were invited by a former LVW Parent and long-time LVW supporter who is now a resident at Rennes.  We are so happy that the schedules worked out to be able to perform for these senior communities!  It has been many years since we have had that kind of opportunity.  

Parents - these are not public performances.  We want our members to give their entire focus to the residents of these two communities, rather than their families.  Some of you may have relatives at these homes, and if so, you are more than welcome to come and enjoy the performances!  One of the benefits of playing at retirement communities is that the kids will have a chance to mingle with the residents briefly following our performances.  Since we are also going to worship at Mount Olive that evening, the time at each retirement home will be quite brief.  Therefore, we kindly ask that you don't try to attend these performances (unless you have a relative at one of these homes).  We thank you for your cooperation!

2:30 PM - Aspire Senior Living, 825 Cobblestone Lane, Kimberly WI 54136
3:30 PM - Renaissance Assisted Living, 301 E. Florida Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911
5:30 PM - Worship at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 930 E Florida Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911

Camp #3 Packing List
1. Instrument and/or other necessary equipment
2. All music and warm-ups—memorized as much as possible!
3. Enough comfortable clothing for two days of camp, especially comfortable shoes!! 
4. Sunscreen or sunblock (SPF 30 or higher) – and be sure to use it! A WIDE-BRIMMED hat/baseball cap is also a MUST. We will be outside for much of camp.
5. A one gallon (or other large size) water jug LABLED WITH YOUR NAME
6. Reeds, valve oil, slide grease, cork grease, etc.
7.  Sunglasses are a definite bonus!
8. Tennis shoes 
9.  Seasonal T-Shirt and Nice Shorts for the two Concerts on Saturday (they will also wear this to church on Saturday)

Students should pack a bag lunch for Saturday.  All other meals will be provided by LVW.  The members will again stay overnight at FVL.  

Worship Service
LVW will be attending 5:30 worship at Mount Olive Lutheran Church on Saturday night.  The band members will be wearing their Seasonal T-Shirt and nice shorts for the performances, and since there won't be time to change before church, they will wear this "uniform" for church as well.

TRANSPORTATION HOME FOLLOWING CAMP #3
Since there is no parade this coming weekend, LVW will disperse from FVL.  Check with your school's transportation coordinator for plans following the rehearsal on Sunday afternoon.  

Checkout Procedures
If you are going to be picked up following the rehearsal, and are not returning on the bus or with your school’s transportation, the following procedures MUST be followed:
1.  Your parents must pick you up. For this weekend, that will be on Sunday, at FVL. If you are picking up your child at FVL, you must be there when the band is ready to leave. If you are not there when the band is ready to leave, your child will come with the band.
2.   Your parents must check you out with the attendance chaperon from your bus. This must be done with you and your parent present.
3.  If your parents are not there when the band is ready to leave, you will come with us. We leave no one behind – EVER!
4.  You may not ride home with anyone else other than your parents UNLESS you have a written permission signed by your parents, and UNLESS that written permission is put into our hands. Parents may also email either Mr. Neujahr or Mr. Klemp, or text Mr. Neujahr at 920-740-3924 with that information.  Parents from KML may email Mrs. Hohenstein, and parents from MLHS may email Miss Scharf.  If you are bringing a signed note, DON’T FORGET THE NOTE AT HOME, because there are NO EXCEPTIONS!

The first week of our summer season was AWESOME!  Thanks to Michelle Klemp and our army of volunteer support staff for making sure the kids were fed, to Chuck and Gretchen Adrian, Dawn and Scott Krueger, Rachel McCabe, Jeanette Winkler, and the rest of our uniform crew for helping them look awesome in our new uniforms, to those with the band on the parade routes, and to Tim Klemp, Tim Schmidt, Scott Kruieger, Jim Pape, and Scott Mittlestadt who prepared the truck, and made sure that we have everything in place for our first two performances. Also thanks to those volunteers for their work with preparing bins and supplies for the beginning of our season! Without our support staff, our members would not be able to accomplish the things they do.  

Thanks also to our director staff for their attention to detail and providing our kids with excellent instruction!  In just a few short days, they steadily brought the band from a collection of inexperienced students from many schools to the entertaining group we know as Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin!  The transformation is truly remarkable, and will continue throughout the season in a forward direction.

Last, but certainly not least, thanks go to the members of LVW!  The members have taken on this responsibility of carrying on the LVW traditions with an enthusiasm and a desire to be the absolute best that we can be.  And that will be AWESOME by the end of the summer!  We always knew that LVW was a "Crowd Favorite" on the parade route, and this year we hope to be even more so. 

CAMP #2 INFORMATION
Rehearsal will begin on Friday, June 16 at 10:00 AM, and will take place at Fox Valley Lutheran HS.  Times for Saturday and Sunday are listed below.  The short weekend will conclude following the Chilton Father's Day Parade on Sunday afternoon.

Transportation to FVL on Saturday, June 18
Students from WLHS, KML, LPS, and WLA will be riding a bus which will begin at KML.  The pickup points will be the same as the first camp week. 

Friday, June 16
Arrive at KML at 7:40am for a 7:50am departure (Rehearsal begins at 10AM)
Stop at Fond du Lac Kwik Trip AROUND 8:35am to pick up people.

PLEASE NOTE - There will not be a return bus trip on Sunday following the Chilton Father's Day Parade. Parents should make arrangements to pick up their children/arrange carpools back home after the Parade and cleanup, which will be at St. Martin Lutheran Church.  Information for location and pick up is below.

Students should pack a bag lunch for Friday.  All other meals will be provided by LVW.  The members will again stay overnight at FVL.  Students should remember to pack everything needed for three days of camp.  The packing list for this past week will be a good reference for this week as well, with the main differences being we have only three days together, and one parade instead of two.

Worship Service
LVW will be attending worship at Mount Olive Lutheran Church on Saturday night.  The dress for this service is casual.  It is a communion service, and Mount Olive will welcome our WELS/ELS members to participate.  

Don't forget to bring the following as well:

• Sunscreen
• Hat and Sunglasses
• Large water jug

Students should make sure to take care of themselves before returning to camp.  They were instructed to drink plenty of water so they can be fully hydrated.  We had relatively nice weather this first week, and next week looks like it will be a bit warmer.  Students should also remember especially to bring sunscreen (at least SPF 30), sunglasses, and hats as we will be spending the majority of our time outside.

LVW's next parade is Sunday, JUNE 18
The Chilton Father's Day Parade is Sunday!  Parade start time is 11:00 AM, and will begin near the county fairgrounds at the corner of Madison Street (Hwy 57) and Chestnut Street.  The route is the same as in previous years, it will proceed north on Madison, west on Main, north on State, east on School, south on Madison, and east on Main where it will end near Adams Street.  There are a lot of corners in the middle of the parade, since it goes around a block in the downtown area.  This has been a great parade for us in the past. Lots of parents, groupies, and family members are on hand to cheer us on! In addition, it gained a reputation as a “CANDY” parade, so if you have little ones going along (or big “Kids” at heart), bring along bags and buckets! There is no reviewing stand in this parade, and no judging, so if you want to gather with other LVW family, I would suggest somewhere along the beginning of the route on Madison Street, since it is nice and wide, and very straight. Once there, find the groupies!  Here is a map of the Chilton Parade Route.

The Father's Day Parade is the culmination of a four-day festival in Chilton.  If you would like to experience a great family event, check out the website for the Chilton Summer Festival.

TRANSPORTATION HOME FOLLOWING THE CHILTON PARADE
LVW will be busing the band to Chilton on Sunday for the parade.  The buses will be returning to FVL following the parade by approximately 2:00 - 2:30.  For all other schools, check with your transportation coordinator for arrival times following the parade. All of our non-FVL students are either riding with parents or will ride home with others from their area.  There is NO KML BUS following the Chilton parade.  If you will be picking up your LVW member following the Chilton parade, the pick up point will be St. Martin’s Lutheran Church, 717 Memorial Drive, Chilton, WI 53014.

We have been told that the parking lot at St. Martin MAY be closed for construction.  If the barricades are out, we will need to use the Memorial street entrance and park on the road.  They are waiting on a confirmed start date, and if anything is known before Sunday they will let us know.

Checkout Procedures
If you are going to be picked up following the parade, and are not returning on the bus or with your school’s transportation, the following procedures MUST be followed:
1.  Your parents must pick you up where we are changing out of uniform. For this weekend, that will be on Sunday, at St. Martin Lutheran Church, Chilton. If you are picking up your child at St. Martin, you must be there when the band is ready to leave. If you are not there when the band is ready to leave, your child will come with the band.
2.   Your parents must check you out with the attendance chaperone from your bus. This must be done with you and your parent present.
3.  If your parents are not there when the band is ready to leave, you will come with us. We leave no one behind – EVER!
4.  You may not ride home with anyone else other than your parents UNLESS you have a written permission signed by your parents, and UNLESS that written permission is put into our hands. Parents may also email either Mr. Neujahr or Mr. Klemp, or text Mr. Neujahr at 920-740-3924 with that information.  Parents from KML may email Mrs. Hohenstein, and parents from MLHS may email Miss Scharf.  If you are bringing a signed note, DON’T FORGET THE NOTE AT HOME, because there are NO EXCEPTIONS!

Hello everyone!  Welcome to our food donations signup for Lutheran Vanguard.
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It is so exciting to watch our band grow to the largest it has been in a long time - almost 90 members for the 2023 season!  That means that there are a lot of mouths to feed and that we will be going through plenty of supplies as well.  Thank you to the many people who have already committed to volunteering their time on the other 2023 Lutheran Vanguard signup.  It wouldn't be possible to put on a season without your help!  This signup is for anyone who is interested in providing a little more support or for those who might have been unable to volunteer their time but would still like to support our band in other ways.  Whatever your situation, thank you for the help you've provided to this awesome group!

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Tuesday, June 6
Arrive at KML at 11:40am for an 11:50am departure (Rehearsal begins at 2 PM)
We will make one stop at the Kwik Trip AROUND 12:35 PM in Fond du Lac: 980 S Hickory St, Fond du Lac, WI 54935 

There will not be a return bus trip on Saturday following the Appleton Flag Day Parade. Parents should make arrangements to pick up their children/arrange carpools back home after Flag Day Parade and cleanup.

Friday, June 16
Arrive at KML at 7:40am for a 7:50am departure (Rehearsal begins at 10AM)
Stop at Fond du Lac Kwik Trip AROUND 8:35am to pick up people.

There will not be a return bus trip on Sunday following the Chilton Father's Day Parade. Parents should make arrangements to pick up their children/arrange carpools back home after the Parade and cleanup.

We are SO CLOSE to the beginning of the 2023 Summer Season!  I think I can safely say that we are SUPER EXCITED about getting back together again, and doing the things we love with the people we love!  LVW will once again be marching in parades with the Cross of Christ foremost on our minds and firmly fixed to our uniforms, as we strive to do all things to His glory!

First - a word about our uniforms.  As you know, we will be wearing brand new uniforms this summer!  We purchased 100 uniforms, which we thought would be plenty to carry us into the near future.  We are good to go for this summer!  For one reason, most of the members for this summer were measured for a new uniform back in January.  We have added members since then, but with the additional uniforms we will have enough to fit everyone.  For how long?  That's a good question!  As of today, we have 83 members in LVW!  That is up from 49 in 2021, and 77 in 2022.  There are still a few possible new members for this coming summer.  When we put the band on the street this summer, with the added banner/detail section, we will have approximately 90 students Letting their Light Shine!  How awesome is that?!?!?!?  Will this growth continue and we will need to purchase more uniforms for 2024?  We hope so!

This post contains LOTS of information!  Please take the time to read through EVERYTHING, as there are important details for both MEMBERS and PARENTS - so make sure members and parents read through this.  It would be a great idea to sit down and do this together, so that nothing is left to chance or missed.

Check Back to this Site OFTEN!
This website is the main method of communication for LVW.  Important updates, such as weekly itineraries, travel information, and weekend-specific information will always be posted on the "Director's Updates" page.  We will also send periodic notifications via email and Facebook (this is LVW's general Facebook page), but those messages will almost always direct you to this page. Important links will also be posted to the LVW Homepage, but again, those links will usually direct you here.

Volunteering for LVW - A Great Opportunity to Let Your Light Shine!
We are again be using "SignUp.com" to indicate when, where, and how you would like to assist.  For more information about Volunteering, go to our VOLUNTEER INFO.  MANY spots are still open!  We are especially in need of helpers for the kitchen during Camp #1 week, and lots of other tasks throughout the summer.

Updated June and July Calendar
A Google Calendar for LVW 2023 events has been posted to our "Schedule" page.  You can click on individual events for more detailed information, including times, locations, and maps!  This will be added to and updated as more information becomes available.

Important Band Camp Information:
Dates: Tuesday, June 6  – Saturday, June 10 
Beginning time: 2:00 PM on Tuesday (arrive by 1:30) 
Place: All camp activities will take place at FVL in Appleton, with a parade in  Brillion (Friday) and Appleton (Saturday).

Camp Transportation
We will be running a bus from KML to Appleton, with planned stops along HWY 41 (possibly the Allenton Park and Ride) and in Fond du Lac at the Hickory Street Kwik Trip.  More details will follow as soon as plans are finalized.  This bus is provided for WLHS, KML, LPS, and WLA students and staff.

Housing during Camp #1, Camp #2, and Camp #3
All LVW Members will be staying overnight at FVL during the first three camps of the season.  
 
LVW Staff and Members should bring a bag Supper for Tuesday, June 6.
All other meals along with all beverages will be provided during camp. Please bring something healthy, such as a sandwich, fresh fruit/vegetables in addition to chips/dessert items. LVW will provide beverages for the meal.

The best liquids to drink at rehearsals are products such as Gatorade, PowerAde, lemonade and other fruit juices, or plain cold water. Please do not bring POP (soda) to drink on rehearsal days for your lunch.

LVW Code of Conduct Form and Payments:
The LVW Code of Conduct was completed at registration.  Please make sure that you are up to date with any payments.

Camp schedule:
Tuesday, June 6 2:00 - 9:00 PM
Wednesday,June 7 - 8:30 AM until 9:00 PM
Thursday,June 8 - 8:30 AM until 9:00 PM
Friday,June 9 - 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM;  Brillion Electric Parade begins at 8:30 PM  (This is a NEW time from previous years)
Saturday, June 10 - 8:30  - 11:00 AM
Appleton Flag Day Parade 2:00 PM - LVW's spot in the parade is #61 out of approximately100 units in the parade.  

LVW members will be dismissed from FVL following the parade.  (PLEASE NOTE - there is a possibility for a cookout for all members and their families following this parade.  We will update you when information becomes available.)  We will be changing out of uniform and making sure the school is clean and in order before departure.  The expected time of departure will be approximately 5:00 - 5:30 PM on Saturday, June 10.

PLEASE NOTE - since almost all of the LVW parents attend the Appleton Flag Day Parade, we are not planning on a return bus that day.  Your school director can help to arrange for rides home for students whose parents are not able to pick them up at FVL following the parade.  Please plan accordingly.

First Performances of the Year: 
Our first performance of the 2023 season is Friday, June 9.  We will be marching in the Brillion Electric Parade. The parade will begin at 8:30 PM. A few words of caution for this parade: bring mosquito repellent, rain slickers and umbrellas (if past years are any indication of what we can expect)! The parade travels right down the middle of town on Main Street (South end and travels North) through the business district. As of this writing, LVW’s position in the parade is not known.

​Then on Saturday, June10, LVW will appear in the 72nd Annual Appleton Flag Day Parade, the “largest and oldest Flag Day Parade in the United States.” This parade begins at 2:00 PM. The route begins at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Oneida Street, travels west on Wisconsin to State Street where it turns south. It continues on State Street to College Avenue, where it travels east to Drew Street where the parade ends. There will be a reviewing stand where many, MANY LVW parents and fans like to congregate. The stand is in the block just before the end of the parade at 321 E College Avenue. Much more information can be found at APPLETON FLAG DAY PARADE.  The website MAY be updated with a map of the parade route.  A complete Parade Line Up may also be available in the near future by clicking the link.  They also have a Facebook Page.

WFRV TV 5 will videotape the Parade for rebroadcast on WFRV TV 5.  At the time of this writing it has not been announced when the parade will be broadcast (live and/or tape-delay).

What to bring with you to band camp:
LVW members should pack clothing for five days of rehearsal and performance.  Please remember your personal uniform items, which include the black shoes/socks, gloves, and t-shirts.  PLEASE NOTE – gloves and the special Uniform Compression Shirt will be handed out at Camp. There is a more detailed packing list for band camp following so you can make sure you have all of the necessary items.

Shoes and Shirt sizes were recorded when you registered for LVW.  The shoes and shirts will be ready to hand out at camp.  Returning members - please don't forget your shoes if you did not order new ones!

If you have not yet purchased shoes, shirts, or the color guard personal items for 2023, please go to our JOIN page and click on the LVW Store links.  There are three separate buttons for Shoes, Shirts, and Guard items.  You can purchase the items there.  We will be ordering by the end of this week (May 20) so please do this ASAP!  If your compression shirts and shoes still fit from last summer, you will not need to purchase new ones.

We will be staying at FVL on Tuesday through Friday night.  All members should bring a sleeping bag/pillow/air mattress and personal items (deodorant/towel/soap/shampoo/etc). 

Packing List
1. Instrument and/or other necessary equipment
2. All music and warm-ups—memorized as much as possible!
3. Enough comfortable clothing for five days of camp, especially comfortable shoes!! (Note that no sandals of any kind will be allowed for any marching or music rehearsals) Bring clothes for very warm or cool weather.
4. Sunscreen or sunblock (SPF 30 or higher) – and be sure to use it! A WIDE-BRIMMED hat/baseball cap is also a MUST. We will be outside for much of camp.
5. A one gallon (or other large size) water jug LABLED WITH YOUR NAME
6. Reeds, valve oil, slide grease, cork grease, etc.
7.  Sunglasses are a definite bonus!
8. Tennis shoes for use indoors—the shoes used outside may not be allowed on the gym floors if they are too dirty.
9. Frisbees, cards, cribbage boards, chess sets, etc. for any free time that you may have (NOTE: Frisbees and balls or any other throwing device will not be used at any time inside any building – this rule applies to the entire summer.)
10. Your black marching shoes (some members will be receiving these at Band Camp)
11. BLACK SOCKS for all members, including guard
12. Black Spandex or Bike shorts for under your uniform
14. Anything else that you will need for your marching instrument, equipment, uniform, and performance
15. LOTS OF ENTHUSIASM AND A STRONG DESIRE TO LEARN!!

Color guard members are to make sure that you have all of the needed uniform items, which include black socks, black spandex shorts and other parts of the uniform (which will be supplied to you before our first performances).  Guard instructor Angela Hohenstein may send an email to all guard members with more information.

Uniforms:
We will be wearing our new LVW uniforms for all performances this summer. These uniforms become the visual representation of who and what we are. Wear your uniform with pride and respect, and take care of it in the same way! Guidelines on how to take proper care of your new uniform will be given to you during band camp.

All wind and percussion players are to bring along black shoes, black socks, and black shorts as outlined above. Everyone will be given a pair of PERFORMANCE gloves, which will be worn with the uniform. The first pair will be free. For all extra gloves that you may need for the summer, the cost will be $3.00 per pair. Be sure to have your money with you. It is a good idea to purchase an extra pair, just in case. Also, for extended weekend trips with several performances, the second pair will come in very handy. If anyone loses their gloves, a new pair must be purchased. Take care of this very visible part of your uniform!

Special notes on your appearance for our performances:
1. No jewelry is to be worn during performances. This includes rings and watches. Ladies may wear earring posts only if they are covered by Band-Aid material. If your ears were not already pierced, it would be wise to wait until after our season is done! 
2. Guys are allowed to wear earrings for rehearsals or other non-performance times while with the band. The following guidelines apply to guys – you are permitted to wear one post or stud earring per ear. You are not permitted to wear dangling or hoop earrings, or more than one earring per ear lobe.
3. Hair must be worn up in the hat. There are to be no bangs allowed to hang down in front, or curls down the side. If the hair reaches over the collar of the uniform, it must be worn under the hat, either pinned up or contained in a hair net. This includes gentlemen whose hair is long and/or unkempt.  Gentlemen, it is best if your hair is cut short for the summer.
4. Gentlemen must be clean-shaven for all performances.

Attire when with the band:
As we head into the summer season, we would like to remind you to use good taste and judgement in your choice of what to wear. Remember that we are all witnesses for our Savior, even in rehearsals! Please follow these guidelines:
1. Extremely short shorts, bare midriffs, nearly-bare midriffs (if your tummy shows when you stretch up), spaghetti-strap tank-tops, or the very loose-fitting sleeveless-style tops are not acceptable for any of our members, male or female, as these could detract from the image and purpose of our band, and could possibly prove to be a stumbling block for others.
2. Gentlemen must wear a shirt at all times, for the same reasons as in #1.
3. Shirts, caps, or other clothing with logos of rock groups, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, or objectionable slogans are not to be worn, as they detract from the image and purpose of our band.
4. Shoes must be worn at all times, except when sleeping. Shower flip-flops should be worn to and from the showers.
A good rule of thumb in choosing clothing for any LVW activity is this: If you have to ask, don’t wear it!

Emergency phone numbers for camp:
FVL - 920-739-4441 
Mr. Neujahr mobile phone - 920-740-3924 

Help needed with uniforms during camp – ESPECIALLY Tuesday!:
We are looking for a few parents to help with uniform tasks during the week of camp. No real skill is necessary for fitting uniforms – only a willingness to help LVW members look their best!  We will begin fitting members already on Tuesday, so any and all help will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

OF SPECIAL NOTE - we are looking for a few moms/dads who would be willing to take on the role of Uniform Custodian(s).  It has been a few years since LVW has had this position filled.  A parent (or parents) from any school is welcome, but it would be especially nice if an FVL parent or two (or more) would be able to fill this position.  What is needed?  This parent would help with the uniform fittings during camp, and also attend to uniform needs throughout the season.  They will be washed likely once before the last week of the summer, and again after the summer is over.  They are machine washable!  This person (or persons) would be around when the band is changing either into or out of their uniforms to make sure that everything runs smoothly.  The duties of this position will be more fully discussed if/when someone fills that role.  If you are interested, please email me at jneujahr@fvlhs.org.

 Hello Family and Friends of Lutheran Vanguard,

After an incredible growth year last season, we are ready to begin the 2023 season!  So many exciting things to talk about!  After nearly doubling our membership from 2021 to 2022, we have grown even larger for this season.  We will be putting about 90 students on the street for our parades this summer, and will be looking awesome in our new uniforms!  In front of the band will be our new banner.  The "old one" was purchased in 2008, the year after we got our "new" uniforms.  It has served us well!  The new banner will include the cross that has adorned our uniforms since 2007 - a very visible inclusion on the banner stating very clearly who we are!   As always there will be lots of volunteer needs, and we'd love for you to be a part of it!

Included in this post, as well as on Facebook, you'll find links to sign up to volunteer to help throughout the season. We simply couldn't conduct a successful season without your help, and there are many opportunities for you to do so! If you're a returning veteran...welcome back!  If you're brand new to the band and still not quite sure what you've gotten yourself into...don't worry! It's an incredibly friendly group of kids and parents, and we guarantee you'll have a blast. No experience necessary, so sign up for as many slots as you can (and bring a friend along to help!). 

Details can be found right in the sign up link, and there's always updated information under the Director's Updates tab on the Vanguard website. Rest assured that no matter what you sign up for, you'll always be done in plenty of time to see every parade. And the best part of helping is you get to be around this amazing group of kids during their days of rehearsal!
Thank you again for your willingness to help, and we're all looking forward to a great year!

signup.com/go/qXDOyFE

We're using SignUp.com (the leading online SignUp and reminder tool) to organize our upcoming SignUps.

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1) Click this link to see our SignUp on SignUp.com: signup.com/go/qXDOyFE
2) Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.
3) Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.

Note: SignUp.com does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.

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Hello LVW Preview Camp Parents, LVW Friends, Alumni, and Relatives!

My name is Nate Amundson and I'm reaching out to you as the contact person for the 2nd Annual Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin Mattress Fundraiser. As an LVW board member, a band director at one of our member schools, an LVW parent, and an alum of the group from many, many moons ago, I'm excited to help out in this way!

We had a great camp a couple of weeks ago and are very much looking forward to this summer! As you may have heard, we will be purchasing newly designed uniforms this summer. Last year's mattress sale in Appleton was a great success and we've moved the sale to another location this year to help get the word out to more people. Money raised at this sale will help with the purchase of the new uniforms and "put a little money in the bank" to help fund future trips to the National Cherry Festival parades in Traverse City, MI...a favorite Vanguard destination from years past and a truly great experience for the band. There's information about the fundraiser on the LVW website, and you'll be receiving more info from us soon.

There are 2 items I want to make you aware of now, as the dates are fast-approaching.

1. The date of the actual event is Saturday, February 11 from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. The company we've contracted with will have more than 20 name brand mattress sets on display in the KML gymnasium for up to 50% off retail! A portion of every sale goes to LVW, and for every mattress sold that has been referred by an LVW marching member, a cash bonus will be paid to that member to help reduce their enrollment fee for the season! The sale is open to anyone, so please tell friends and family that they are welcome, and can help support the band while getting that brand new mattress they've been thinking about! We'll need some help on the day of the event, and there's a link to the volunteer signup page on the LVW website.

2. As important as the actual event is to our success, there's another equally important date that we want to make you aware of. It's a "mini fundraiser" for the band that has been arranged by the mattress fundraising company, and will be on January 26 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm in the KML auditorium. All parents are strongly urged to attend, as the ultimate success of the mattress fundraiser depends on a good showing at this informational meeting. For every parent in attendance that night, the mattress fundraising company will donate $5 to LVW (so please...husbands and wives are both encouraged to attend!). We know that this might be an inconvenience for those of you at a distance, so there will be an option to attend the meeting via a livestream and the company will donate the same $5 per person to anyone viewing remotely! This gives us the possibility of earning hundreds of dollars for LVW just for attending a brief meeting!

Can't attend the meeting?  Click here for a link to the KML YouTube Channel!

We'll have more information out to you soon about all of this! So for now, please mark January 26 at 6:30 pm and February 11 at 10:00 am on your calendars...and tell everybody you know that they can help support an amazing marching band, all while getting that new mattress they want!

On behalf of the kids...thank you so much for your support! We couldn't do it without you!

Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School
Nate Amundson
Director of Elementary School Bands
Kettle Moraine Lutheran High School
262-677-4051 x4029
mobile: 262.353.8635
nate.amundson@kmlhs.org
http://www.kmlhs.org/kmlesbands
Educating for Life and for Eternity
My Strengths: Responsibility - Maximizer - Achiever - Developer - Connectedness