# We're going to the Pioneer Lodge for a special Band Camp! The Grade 8 and 9 Concert Bands are going to Pioneer Lodge for a Band Camp on **March 26 and 27, 2026**. The first day of camp will include many camp activities which may include wall-climbing, archery, orienteering, horseback riding, campfires and Mr. Windsor's favourite, a wide game of Predator and Prey in the forest. The second day of camp will include all the music, including workshops with sectional clinicians (one clinician for every type of instrument) and guest conductor Mr. Steve Sherman (director of the Red Deer Royals Marching and Community Bands organization). ## Itinerary ### March 26, 2026 8:30 AM - Leave Notre Dame Collegiate after loading the two buses and trailer 12:00 PM - Arrive at the facility, enjoy a bagged lunch 1:00 PM - Prescheduled and pre-enrolled camp activities 2:30 PM - Snack 3:00 PM - More pre-enrolled camp activites 5:00 PM - Supper 6:30 PM - Predator and Prey 8:00 PM - Indoor Campfire 9:00 PM - Evening Prayer 10:00 PM - Lights Out ### March 27, 2026 8:00 AM - Final Wake-up Call, Breakfast 9:00 AM - Grade 8s in Clinics, Grade 9s with Guest Conductor 10:15 AM - Break 10:30 AM - Grade 9s in Clinics, Grade 8s with Guest Conductor 12:00 PM - Lunch 1:00 PM - Grade 9s in Clinics, Grade 8s with Guest Conductor 2:15 PM - Break 2:30 PM - Grade 8s in Clinics, Grade 9s with Guest Conductor 4:00 PM - Facility-wide cleanup 5:00 PM - Depart Pioneer Lodge 5:45 PM - Stop in Olds for Supper 7:00 PM - Leave Olds 8:30 PM - Arrive at Notre Dame Collegiate ## Fee - $225 - Covers accommodations, 3 high quality nutritious meals and regular camp snacks, all camp activities, all clinicians and guest conductor fees, and transportation Students will need to pack a bag lunch for the first day (helps to reduce our costs) and money for supper on the way home. # We will need Chaperones! I will need at least **6 Chaperones**, preferably 4 female and 2 male. If you are able to do so, please let me know as soon as possible, as we do have Chaperone-related paperwork that has been known to take a couple of weeks to process. Chaperone accommodations, participation in activities, coffee and fireplace reading time is included! ### Students will need to pack: - An overnight bag with a change of clothes and backup clothes in case they get wet (we will be outside a lot) - Sleeping bags - Outdoor Winter Clothing (Mountain View country will still have a foot of snow when it has melted everywhere else) - Indoor footwear *that is different than outdoor footwear* ... **students must have winter boots that are well insulated and water resistant** - Bag lunch for Thursday, money for Supper on Friday - Personal medications (cannot be administered by teachers nor chaperones) - Instruments and Sheet Music ## The Pioneer Lodge Trip is a student favourite that is not always possible for us. The workshops with clinicians are incredible, and camp activities are as fun as you make them, which with our students means they will be a riot! I'm looking forward to sharing this experience with your students! Contrapuntally yours, Joel Windsor