Like many youth-focused arts and sports organizations, the Jersey Surf World Class Drum Corps has been working through the challenges of returning to full operation after two long seasons away from the performance and competition field, with limited ability to share our love of what we do with each-other… and the world. 

With an understanding of the many financial challenges facing students, families and people across the country amidst the present economic landscape, today the organization announces a landmark initiative designed to bring the unique experience we offer to a greater number of student musicians and performers this summer.

Using private donations, grant funding, “rainy day” financial reserves and deferring several planned expenditures, the Jersey Surf board of directors is reallocating the corps operating budget, and is lowering the cost of participation for the 2022 DCI Summer Tour by $1,000 per member, effective immediately.

“We fully anticipated that there would be a number of hurdles to overcome as we returned to full operation, and that has certainly proven to be the case,” says Dr. Julie Hill, board chair of The Jersey Surf. “Safely restarting a program of our size and scope in a region of the country which has been somewhat slower to ease COVID-19 restrictions has created significant hardships relating to our return to long-established rehearsal and housing sites, and has hindered access to the schools, marching arts students and local families which have been the traditional backbone of our organization. These logistical and membership recruitment difficulties have been compounded by the current economic environment we’re all facing, including increased fuel prices along with higher costs for food, supplies and doing just about everything.”

“Our organization has always tried to ensure that everyone seeking to participate with us was able to do so, regardless of their financial circumstances,” said Rich Klimowicz, director of operations. “Earlier this year, a group of our alumni and friends contributed generously to enable us to eliminate all fees for winter and spring rehearsal camps for returning and prospective performers. Their generosity has already resulted in hundreds of dollars of savings for each corps member. Online instruction has helped to further reduce travel costs throughout the winter and into the spring. (Join the Club: Become a part of our CLUB SURF program!)

“Now, with this budgetary restructuring, the cost of participating with the Jersey Surf on tour will be $50 a day for a one-of-a-kind summer-long experience. Our goal through this initiative is to lower one of the most significant barriers to participation on the part of many would-be corps members and to rejoin the DCI tour this summer with a full ensemble of passionate, talented performers, great people and future leaders. There is no doubt that this $1000 reduction in participation cost, along with other potential scholarship and sponsorship programs earned by the members, will bring a summer of drum corps further into reach for those wishing to take part.”
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Corps members who have already paid their tour fees for the coming season will receive a direct rebate from the organization later this month, and all incoming members will receive a newly structured membership agreement, which reflects a total tuition price of $3400 for the full 68-day experience. The Surf’s 2022 summer program includes a multi-week spring training residency on the Campus of HBCU partner Delaware State University; more than 200 meals, instruments, equipment, professional instruction, uniforms and a 7,500 mile tour which concludes at the 2022 DCI World Championships in Indianapolis this August. 

For membership information, visit http://tinyurl.com/DCISurf22.

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