Drum corps fans around the world once again have the opportunity to join together in financial support of their favorite groups on the road to the DCI World Championships by participating in the 2017DCI Giving Challenge.

Generating more than $400,000 in each of the past two seasons, the 2017 edition of the DCI Giving Challenge fundraiser will pit more than 40 different DCI World, Open and International Class corps and SoundSport teams against each other in class-level, head-to-head fundraising competition. Each group will vie to raise more money from its alumni, fans and friends than the other groups in its competitive class.

The participating organizations are setting an ambitious goal of a combined fundraising total of $500,000 for the 2017 campaign, which would boost the three-year aggregate total past a whopping $1.3 million dollars.

“Although each of the groups is engaged in its own programs and activities throughout the calendar year, the DCI Giving Challenge provides our organizations with a unified focus on raising funds at the most critical point in the annual DCI Tour,” DCI executive director Dan Acheson said. “As the groups set their sites on the completion of the summer season, this program brings together the worldwide community of fans and helps to further mobilize them as highly engaged advocates and supporters.”

Every dollar collected by the participating teams during the contest period goes toward their respective DCI Giving Challenge totals. For the many participating ensembles already running various fuel campaigns, alumni donation programs, and fund-a-meal campaigns on their own, dollars raised through those campaigns are accrued into each group's individual total while this special fundraising drive is in effect.

To donate, fans can visit the unified webpage for the campaign at DCIGivingChallenge.com where they can click on the link for the corps they wish to support, then use the individual corps' giving pages to make their online donations.

Timeline

The contest begins Thursday, July 20 at 9 a.m. ET, and continues through 11:59 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 29, with the winners of the contest (one Open Class corps, one World Class corps, one International Class corps and one SoundSport team) announced during the FloMarching webcast of the DCI Tour of Champions – NightBEAT event presented live from BB&T Field at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Sunday, July 30.

Reporting

The corps will report their numbers directly to Drum Corps International on the mornings of Tuesday, July 25, Thursday, July 27, and Saturday, July 29, so that fans and the participating corps know where everyone stands throughout the duration of the contest.

Participating groups

The 2017 lineup of participating ensembles include:

SoundSport®
Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps
Bishop Dwenger Marching Saints
Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Band and Colorguard
Columbus Saints
Horizon
LakeShoremen
Mon Valley Express
Rhythm IN BLUE
Rogues Hollow Regiment
Sonus Brass Theater
Spirit of Sunnyvale
Thunder Brigade

Open Class
7th Regiment
The Battalion
Colt Cadets
Gold
Golden Empire
Guardians
Legends
Music City
Raiders
River City Rhythm
Shadow
Southwind
Spartans

International Class
THE COMPANY

World Class
The Academy
Blue Devils
Blue Stars
Bluecoats
Boston Crusaders
The Cadets
The Cavaliers
Colts
Crossmen
Genesis
Jersey Surf
Madison Scouts
Mandarins
Oregon Crusaders
Pacific Crest
Phantom Regiment
Santa Clara Vanguard
Seattle Cascades

Donate today via DCIGivingChallenge.com.