The Vibe Holiday Party is this SUNDAY, December 8 from 11:00am – 1:30pm at the The Falls at Autry Mill Clubhouse (address is: 9825 Autry Falls Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30022)!

If you have not already, please RSVP and sign up for brunch potluck items ASAP so that we have an accurate headcount.

NOTE: **We are especially short on chicken nugget trays if there is anyone that would like to sign up for an additional item to bring.**  Click here to access the Signup Genius.

WHAT TO WEAR: Wear your comfiest, coziest holiday gear: think holiday pj’s, sweaters, sweatpants, etc.

Moms, please feel free to ‘deck out’ in your fun & comfy holiday attire too!

Important Reminders:

• Given the size of our dance team, we will only be able to accommodate each dancer plus 1 adult.
• Please bring a $15 wrapped gift for a Gift Exchange Game that will be played with all of the Vibe dancers together. Everyone will go home with a gift from another Vibe dancer.  You do not need to purchase a second gift for your Big or Little Sister.

Blessings in a Backpack Philanthropy Donation:

• We are asking for each dancer to bring 1 (or more if you are so inclined) of the following donation items: canned meats (vienna sausages, pop top soups, tuna packs), beef jerky, Slim Jims, granola bars, non-perishable individual servings of milk (white, chocolate, strawberry).
• We will also have a box to drop check donations if you like to donate funds to help stock their pantry throughout the year. (make check out to Blessings in a Backpack – FAM Fund).
• Bookmarks are at the studio for the dancers to pick up this week!  Please have your dancer decorate the bookmark and write words of encouragement and sign her name (first name only).  Please bring the decorated bookmark to the holiday party. 

 ***When you are buying your pantry items look for food an elementary school-aged child would like to eat and keep in mind that, unfortunately, they are often preparing their own meals.  Pop-top can of soup, Vienna sausages, or a pouch of tuna is a better choice than something that requires a can opener.***

The Johns Creek Founder’s Day Parade is this Saturday, December 7 – parade start time is 10:00am. It will be a fun time for our dancers to show our FootNotes spirit! Dancers will be walking and dancing in the parade (they are learning a dance this week). Below are important reminders:

• ARRIVAL TIME & PLACE: Meet at 8:30am at 11350 Johns Creek Parkway.  NOTE: This address is the State Farm complex, but you will need to access it as described below, using Lakefield Drive from McGinnis Ferry Road.
• The parade should be finished by 12:00noon.  Please pickup your dancer following the end of the parade (approximately 11:45am – 12:00noon).
• WHAT TO WEAR: Girls will wear black leggings, Vibe jacket, and ‘festive’ holiday attire (holiday-themed hats, scarves, tutus, festive headbands and/or necklaces, etc., and comfy shoes for walking.
• WHERE TO DROP OFF & PICK-UP YOUR DANCER:  Everyone will enter the Lakefield Drive entrance off of McGinnis Ferry Road.  (indicated on the map).
  • At the checkpoint, indicate that you are with FootNotes, and we are in the ZONE GREEN 20.  If you are dropping off your dancer, continue on to find ZONE GREEN 20.  There will be signs showing the different zones.  FootNotes will be walking behind a RED Jeep….look for the FootNotes/Vibe jackets.
  • If you are staying to walk the parade, tell the attendant at the checkpoint. You will need to continue on into the State Farm parking lot to park your car and then walk back to ZONE GREEN 20.
  • Once you have dropped off your dancer, follow signs to either exit the area or go to participant parking.
  • Have your dancer check-in with Jessica McFarland...she will have a check-in list for all participants.
  • For dancer pick-up, everyone from the parade will be picked up in the State Farm parking lot.  FootNotes will stay in a group where parents can find us. We will send a text via the group moms where we are located in the parking lot
  • If any information changes on the day of, we will also send out a text via the group moms.
• Spectators may access the Parade area via the other intersections marked on the map (click here for map).    There should be plenty of parking for spectators if you wish to hang around for the parade.
• The parade route follows the streets of Technology Park, past City Hall, and provides opportunities for spectators to watch the parade. The route will require about 1.3 miles of walking, so please take that into consideration (wear comfortable shoes).
• Dancers will walk and dance behind a decorated jeep. We will have some small candy canes and mardi gras beads to toss to the crowds.   *If you know your child would like to toss lots of candy during the parade, please feel free to bring an extra bag.*
• We have mom chaperones signed up that will be assisting with the younger dancers.
• Make sure your dancer eats a good breakfast before arriving at the parade.

If you have any questions related to the parade, please contact Jessica McFarland at jessmcfarland13@gmail.com.

The Solo/Duo/Trio Signup Genius has been updated – December dates for private rehearsals are now available.   Click here to access the Signup Genius.

Reminders:

• Make sure that you note on the Signup Genius whether you are signing up for your dancer’s solo, duo, or trio rehearsal.   Please make sure that only 1 mom or dancer signs up for a given slot for a duo or trio.
• Please bring your music to the private lesson.
• Please bring payment ($30 for a 30 minute session with Cheryl, & $35 for Madison) at the start of each rehearsal.  There is no option to have this charge added to your FootNotes account.  All dancers must pay the instructor directly by either check, Venmo, or cash.
• If your dancer is unable to attend your booked rehearsal session, you must notify FootNotes at footnotesdance@comcast.net, at least 24 hours ahead of your scheduled time.   If you ‘miss’/forget a rehearsal that you have signed up for, you are still responsible for the payment to the instructor.
• As always, dancers are always free to book an empty room to practice on their own.

This Signup Genius link is also available on the Team To Do List webpage for easy access throughout the season.

Friendly Reminder…Did you know that when you shop for the holidays at smile.amazon.com/ch/81-0658833, AmazonSmile makes a donation to The Vibe Performance Company? 

The Vibe is enrolled in the AmazonSmile program for non-profits. It’s money that comes direct to Vibe (a percentage of each transaction made through AmazonSmile is donated back to Vibe since we are a non-profit.)

Below are instructions on how to use AmazonSmile from your iPhone if you prefer to purchase from there vs. your PC browser:

How To Create an Amazon Smile (linked to Vibe) icon on your iPhone

1. Login to smile.amazon.com in your Safari browser using the link smile.amazon.com/ch/81-0658833.   The login will be the same as your Amazon user id and password.
2. Next, hit the share button at the bottom middle of your screen.
3. Now click Add to Home screen.  You have just created a Shortcut to the Amazon Smile webpage to easily navigate to it from your phone.

Now that this icon has been created, you can use this AmazonSmile icon to purchase your items from Amazon.   Note that Amazon Prime will be active on your account if you are currently enrolled in the program.

*NOTE:   Regular Amazon.com and Amazon mobile app purchases will not apply to AmazonSmile donations…so please use one of the options noted above to make your Amazon purchases through AmazonSmile.

Some new competition shoe selections have been added on the Shoe Buying Guide (new listings are highlighted in orange).  Please click here to access the Shoe Buying Guide web page, listed by dance group.  

REMINDER:  Please make sure that you select the correct dance group for your dancer, and make sure you are choosing the correct color to purchase.

Your dancer’s shoes for this competition season should be in hand no later than Monday, January 6, 2020.

We plan to hold the Parents Night Out at FootNotes on Friday, December 13.  Thanks to those that have signed up to volunteer for the event!  Cheryl will be advertising the date/time soon to FootNotes families.  Please feel free to pass on info about the event to your friends and neighbors!  Click here – Use this link to signup to have your child ATTEND the event.

REMINDER: If you/your dancer would like to VOLUNTEER for the event, click here to access the Signup Genius. (We hope to have a couple more moms volunteer for the event if you are available).

Each year at our Holiday Party, we ask our dancers to “pay it forward” to a local non-profit…a little way of recognizing how fortunate we all are at this time of year.  Renee Maples is our Community Service chairperson, and she has been working with Blessings in a Backpack as our holiday philanthropy this year. Every week, our local Blessings in a Backpack chapter provides weekend bridge backpacks of food for 150 elementary school children in the Roswell area. These are children who may otherwise have little or no food to eat on weekends during the school year.

During the VIBE holiday party this year, we will be collecting food pantry items.  We are asking for each dancer to bring 1 (or more if you are so inclined) of the following donation items to the holiday party:

• Canned meats (vienna sausages, pop top soups, tuna packs)
• Beef jerky / Slim Jims
• Granola bars
• Non-perishable individual servings of milk (white, chocolate or strawberry)

We will also have a box to drop check donations (make check out to Blessings in a Backpack – FAM Fund) if you would like to donate funds to help stock their pantry throughout the year.

***When you are buying your pantry items look for food an elementary school-aged child would like to eat and keep in mind that, unfortunately, they are often preparing their own meals.  Pop-top can of soup, Vienna sausages, or a pouch of tuna is a better choice than something that requires a can opener.***

Holiday Party Volunteer Activity

Vibe dancers will have an opportunity ahead of the party to decorate a bookmark with words of encouragement to be included in small bags of holiday treats, books & activities that the dancers will be packing at the holiday party.

Bookmarks will be at the studio for the dancers to pick up the week prior to the party  (Dec 2nd – 6th). Please have your dancer decorate the bookmark with words of encouragement and sign her name (with first name only).  Please bring with them to the holiday party to be included in winter break backpack treat bags.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET TO PICK UP A BOOKMARK TO HAVE YOUR DANCER DECORATE AT THE FRONT DESK NEXT WEEK WHEN WE RETURN TO DANCE!!!

Please click here to access the Signup Genius for the Vibe Holiday Party which will be held on Sunday, December 8 at 11:00am – 1:30pm (*note the time change*) at The Falls at Autry Mill clubhouse (address is: 9825 Autry Falls Dr, Alpharetta, GA 30022).

To Do’s for the Holiday Party:

• Please RSVP for dancer and 1 parent (if a parent is attending).
• Please also sign up for potluck item(s).
• Please bring a $15 wrapped gift for a Gift Exchange Game that will be played with all of the Vibe dancers together. Everyone will go home with a gift from another Vibe dancer.  You do not need to purchase a second gift for your Big or Little Sister.
• Please bring donation items…more information on the philanthropy we will be working with and the donation opportunity will be sent out in another web post.

Dress is: your comfiest, coziest holiday gear!  Think holiday pj’s, sweaters, sweatpants, etc.

Other Info:

• Given the size of our dance team, we will only be able to accommodate each dancer plus 1 adult/parent at the event.

REMINDER – we need your feedback by end of day today if you/your dancer is/are available for another Parents Night Out on Friday, December 13.   We currently do not have enough volunteers for the event to take place…so far, only 5 dancers and 2 moms that have expressed interest/availability.   There is no pressure if you cannot volunteer for this one, but we wanted to send out the reminder again today since we need to make a decision tonight on whether or not to have the event.     Details and Signup link listed below…

• Are you ‘up’ for volunteering for another Parents Night Out (PNO)?  Cheryl believes the December schedule will allow us to host another PNO on Friday, December 13.   However, we need to ensure that we have enough volunteers (both parents and dancers) before we advertise the event to FootNotes families.   If you are able to volunteer for a PNO event on Friday, December 13, please click here to sign up.
  • Click here to access the sign-up to volunteer for the Parent Night Out event.  Please confirm your interest in volunteering by this Wednesday, November 20 so that we have time to advertise and prepare for the event.   If we don’t get enough volunteers, we will not have the event.
  • Notes about volunteering:
    • Volunteers must arrive by 5:30pm to help setup and direction and are expected to stay until 9:15pm for cleanup.
    • Dancers: You will be expected to assist in various activities with the children, the entire length of the Parent Night Out event.  Dancers who volunteer can earn Beta hours for participating.
    • Minimum dancer age to volunteer is 12 years old.   If Mom/Dad has questions on whether your child should sign-up to volunteer, please feel free to email us at footnotesdanceblog@gmail.com.