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Volunteering for Tour
Sign-up here.
The Crossmen will travel for seven weeks across more than twenty states this summer. Volunteers get to experience the exciting tour lifestyle with plenty of rewarding work to support the members of the corps. Some alumni, parents, and community members also volunteer to help for a day when we are near their hometown.
At all points of tour, we need a minimum of three volunteer drivers, six food truck workers, and one person to help with uniforms. We also appreciate offers for medical expertise while the corps is on the road. More information about all these roles is below. The Volunteer Calendar shows current available opportunities for volunteering. Sign up online to let us know that you might be interested, even if you are not certain about your summer schedule.
What are the benefits of volunteering on tour?
- Free housing in the volunteer sleeping room and transportation on the volunteer van everywhere we go
- Meals provided from the Crossmen Food Truck
- DCI passes for free general admission to drum corps shows
- Opportunities to meet Crossmen members, staff, alumni, and fellow volunteers
- Occasional free time with the drum corps for laundry, tourism, shopping, or eating out
How do I meet up with the Crossmen on tour?
Many people join or leave tour around a drum corps show, when they have friends or family in the area. We are always glad to provide local transportation for volunteers when they are coming on tour or going home. For example, we would pick you up from an airport near a drum corps show one week, and then drop you off at your house the next week if we are nearby.
Although the Crossmen are not able to pay for volunteer flights or bus tickets, we can be very creative with getting you in and out of tour. We might be able to hook you up with the travel plans of another drum corps or Crossmen friends who are coming to see us.
What do volunteers need to bring on tour?
- Comfortable clothes and shoes suitable for food crew, traveling, and drum corps shows.
- Shower toiletries and sleeping gear (pad or air mattress, sleeping bag, and pillow)
- Books or music to enjoy during traveling and free time
- A great attitude and constant willingness to support the Crossmen members, staff, and fellow volunteers
If I am not able to come on tour, how can I help?
A great way to volunteer is to help at a housing site when we are near your hometown. We appreciate local volunteers to help with errands, food crew, uniforms, or handy-man work. Sometimes local volunteers secure food donations (local produce, powdered Gatorade, bread, milk, etc.), or they just bring us an audience for our evening rehearsal.
How do I sign up or get more information?
Details about helping on tour are below. Our Volunteer Calendar can help you find the best time in your schedule. You can Sign-Up Online to let us know you're interested. If you have any questions, just contact Evan Woods at volunteers@crossmen.org.
Volunteer Roles on Tour
Food Truck Workers: The Crossmen are known in the drum corps activity for producing great meals. Our helpful volunteers provide four meals per day for 180-200 members, staff, drivers, and volunteers. The food truck is a lively place with plenty of chopping, mixing, baking, cleaning, grilling, and dish washing for everyone. Meal planning and preparation is led by our Food Manager, so you will not need to be an expert cook to find your place on the food crew - anyone can "learn the ropes," make new friends, and enjoy the rewarding work of feeding the hungry members and staff of the Crossmen.
Small Vehicle Drivers: Most of the drum corps convoy is driven by professional drivers, but three of the vehicles depend on volunteers to get them down the road. The corps needs 3-4 men or women dedicated to these important jobs. You are invited to come on tour anytime from June 18 through August to drive the RV, the utility - souvenir truck, or the volunteer van (no CDL is required for these vehicles). Drivers for the Crossmen benefit from the best sleeping rooms at housing sites so that they can be well-rested for the next trip. We also would a few volunteer drivers who can assist in bringing our vehicles back to Texas after tour.
Medical Professionals: Drum corps is a very physical activity, and the Crossmen will have an Athletic & Fitness Trainer who helps take care of our members. Some other minor illnesses and injuries might arise during Spring Training and Tour. If you are a nurse or a doctor who can travel with us for a few days, you would be a valuable help to our members and staff. Medical professionals usually spend much of their time at Spring Training helping with food crew, uniforms, or other projects. We are also looking for medical professionals who are willing to provide services to us while we are in their area.
Uniforms / Sewing: When 150 uniforms are in use daily, there is always some work we can do to make the Crossmen look their best. Some housing sites offer us the use of laundry machines, where volunteers can wash a small batch of uniforms every day. If you are skilled at sewing and alterations, please consider helping us any time during the season. We travel with a commercial-grade sewing machine and a stash of supplies. You will get to meet many of the corps members and volunteers while enjoying the tour lifestyle and plenty of free drum corps shows.
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