May 2014 Newsletter

In this issue:

• More than $600,000 raised at main event for CIS Wake County and Durham with one month to reach $1 million!
• Sponsors and volunteers, you make our dreams come true!
• “Fleece Vest” Thinking
• A message from Communities In Schools
• We are a Nation of One!
• Join the Band Together family!

More than $600,000 raised at main event for CIS Wake County and Durham with one month to reach $1 million!

What an amazing night! We want to give the BIGGEST thanks to all of our supporters who made our BIGGEST event to date a success! More than 4,000 fans came out to enjoy Daryl Hall & John Oates, Robert Randolph and The Family Band, Jack the Radio and DJ Logic.If you were not present for the big announcement, we are thrilled to let you know that we have raised more than $600,000 to date for our partnership with CIS of Wake County and Durham – and we’re not done yet! With an entire month left for our partnership, we anticipate reaching $1 million! As of now, Band Together has raised more than $3.5 MILLION for our community, thanks to supporters and music fans like you.Our 2014 nonprofit partners, Communities In Schools of Wake County and Durham, will be using this money towards important resources to kick-start students’ success.To relive the magic, visit www.bandtogethernc.org for photos and videos throughout the coming weeks. Be sure to check our Facebook page or Flickr as well for photo uploads. And, click here to donate and help us reach our final goal even sooner!back to top

Sponsors and volunteers, you make our dreams come true!

Band Together volunteer family, we couldn’t do it without you. Our loyal volunteers and supporters are the backbone of this organization and we truly appreciate the time, labor, money and passion that you give to Band Together year after year.Sponsors, we were so honored to work with you this year. Without your generous contributions and giving of your time, talents and financial support, our main concert would not have grown to become the largest charitable music event in the Southeast. Your dedication to our organization and our nonprofit partners is what has kept us going for 13 years, and we truly appreciate your support.We are especially grateful to S&A Cherokee, PNC Bank and Walmart for their leadership. Go here to see all the sponsors that made this event possible.back to top

Fleece Vest” Thinking

People often give me a hard time about my “uniform” – a number of trusty fleece vests that I wear rain or shine, warm or cold. Others recognize it as part of my brand, and have come to expect it.Here’s the thing: It’s important to have things that are dependable and comfortable, that are part of who you are. And these fleece vests are no different to me than Band Together. We often refer to Band Together as a family, because we really are. We care deeply about one another, whether a long-term leader, new volunteer, sponsor or concert goer. We care because we share a desire to make our community better. And there’s no more dependable crew than the folks who give their time and money to Band Together. What started in 2001 as a response to 9/11 has lasted for 13 years, mostly due to the dedication and leadership of our BT family. People dig incredibly deep to support and give back.Lastly, Band Together has become an integral part of what are community is all about: philanthropy, families, music (and culture) and friendship. We think it represents much of what’s so great about the Triangle. Our event last Saturday certainly showed an amazing, charitable and fun side of our community.So, let Band Together be one of your “fleece vests,” and wear it with pride. Join us, support us and take part in our events. And, take a look at the video below for a look back at our 13-year ride.- Matt Strickland, Executive Director, Band Togetherhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cM7NvfwPBgback to top

A message from Communities In Schools

The Band Together concert featuring Hall & Oates really increased our brand awareness. We were introduced to hundreds if not thousands of new supporters for the first time.All week, we've been receiving positive feedback from our stakeholders who attended the Hall & Oates concert. Not only did they enjoy the entire evening, they were blown away by the professionalism and flawless execution of the presentation which made them proud to be associated with Band Together and with Communities In Schools!As a result of our overall partnership with Band Together we have develop at least 10 new corporate partnerships that represent significant multi-year funding potential.- Travis Mitchell, President, Communities In Schools of Wake CountyFrom the bottom of our hearts, we offer this expression of gratitude from all of us at Communities in Schools of Durham.  We are thankful for your tireless efforts and countless contributions of time, talent and treasure that made the 2014 event an overwhelming success.  We are thankful that you embraced our mission of empowering students to success, in school and in life.  Most of all, we are thankful that Band Together will allow us to change the story for students in Durham, giving many of them their best chance to overcome obstacles and experience success.Because of you, our students be able to dream a little bigger and reach a little further than they can even imagine right now – and we can make sure of it. Thank you, Band Together, for making such a profound difference at CIS of Durham.- Beverly Hardin, Executive Director, Communities In Schools of Durhamback to top

We are a Nation of One!

On Saturday night, concert fans were treated to a new video from Communities In Schools of Wake County, featuring Sean Ellison, aka "Really Real." Sean is a 2009 graduate of Durham's Hillside High School and a 2013 graduate of Full Sail University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Business.Sean wrote the lyrics and performed the song in the video, seen by an audience of over 4,000 shortly before Daryl Hall and John Oates took the stage!His words of hope inspired thousands this past weekend. If our nation is going to remain strong, we need to make sure to give back to the future by investing today in the future leaders of tomorrow! Support our work with Communities In Schools of Durham and Wake County by posting this video to your Facebook pages, Twitter feeds or just e-mailing this message to friends and family in support of Sean and his message of "unity." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNwPmar6AGI&feature=youtu.beback to top

Join the Band Together family!

Want to help us make the magic happen? Band Together is a lot more than just a 1-day concert, folks! Year-round events and activities need your help and leadership. Do you have specific skills that you can bring to the table? Let us know here!For a full list of ways you can get involved, click here.Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BandTogetherNC to stay connected to Band Together year round.back to top