A little bit of context

The Pioneer Drum & Bugle Corps & Color Guard is an incorporated, 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, operated solely for the betterment of youth.

The Pioneer recruits male and female members between the ages of 14-21. The performers appear in many parades, festivals, community celebrations, drum corps shows and championships throughout the Midwest and the nation.

Membership in the Pioneer requires dedication, discipline, and self-sacrifice. Our members develop leadership potential while working as a team. They use these skill throughout their lives.

The corps participates in the Drum Corps International summer tour and is currently traveling across the United States entertaining thousands of fans of the pageantry arts. Our season cumulates in the DCI World Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana in early August.

We travel with a caravan of 3 coach busses, 2 semi-trailers, one souvenir trailer and Suburban and a camper with attached trailer and 2 golf carts that are used at high schools we visit for rehearsals and sleeping while we are on tour.

But there’s a problem

The camper that we use for our staff and corps director, was involved in an accident in the state of Iowa in mid July. While driving on a back road out of a housing site, the vehicle failed to negotiate a steep hill and sharp turn. The weight of the attached trailer and gear could not stop it and it slid over the hill into someone's yard.

Luckily, no one was injured, however director Roman Blenski and others in the vehicle were a bit shaken over the experience. The trailer that was attached likely saved the camper from hitting the house located on the property because it became perched on the wall once coming to a stop.

The vehicle had to be extracted with 5 cranes to remove it from private property, however the trailer and carts were able to be saved.

The camper has been declared "totaled" by the insurance and with the corps currently on the road, the organization cannot replace it while still providing properly for the young adults who comprise the drum corps.

Here’s what we’re doing about it

While we must continue on with our performance commitments, we are now down this vehicle and have had to make other sleeping arrangements for our staff and director. We are hoping that our insurance will help us recover, but do need to raise additional funds to help us get down the road and to our end of season championship in Indiana.

You can join us

We are hoping to raise $30,000 to facilitate the additional burden placed on our organization as a result of this accident. The funds will be used to help cover the additional costs involved with the extraction and towing of this camper by the wrecking company and to continue to give our members a quality tour experience for the remainder of the summer.

You donations will help cover the costs of repair to other vehicles in our fleet as well. We have had a large number of tire issues while on the road for our busses and semi-trailers and need to have a few spares in case this trend continues. We do our best to provide a high quality experience for our members, and your donation in any amount will help us to better service our performers and allow them to continue their participation in the unique and wonderful activity for young adults.

The administration of Pioneer thanks you for taking the time to look at this campaign. Please note that typical donations to non-profit organizations are tax deductable, however, we ask that you consult your tax advisor for more details.



