April is drum corps volunteer month on DCI.org. If you'd like to "nominate" a fabulous drum corps volunteer, send a writeup and a photo to content@dci.org. Stephanie Eshbach , public relations intern with the Pacific Crest, nominated George Perry and Betty Yoder. When a corps is just getting on its feet, it takes the sacrifice of many to support its first steps. As a relatively younger corps, in its 11th year of performing, Pacific Crest would like to spotlight two of the most dedicated volunteers and members of our family -- George Perry and Betty Yoder. These two selfless individuals are longtime fixtures of the corps who have played highly significant roles in helping Pacific Crest grow into the successful organization it is today.

Betty Yoder (left) and George Perry
Perry's son, Ryan, performed with Pacific Crest during the corps' infancy, but Perry has been around ever since. For many years he assisted director Stuart Pompel with nearly all of the administrative work: He has managed student accounts, coordinated truck rental, cooked, hauled equipment, made presentations at service club meetings, volunteered at Corps at the Crest, wrote the newsletter and helped with all mailings. In addition, he has been a consistent major donor. "George was the 'go-to' guy for everything during those early years," said Pompel. "He took care of nearly everything." Even today, Perry plays an integral role as a member of the board. He provides fund-raising leadership with his own generous contributions, and he runs the annual golf tournament, a special event he created three years ago with his wife, Susan. In addition, Perry still maintains the student accounts, helps with administration at rehearsals, and assists Pompel with a variety of administrative and clerical tasks. "It never really gets old," Perry said. "It's the same process, but a new set of kids, outlooks and expectations every year. It's worth it to see everything come to fruition." Betty Yoder also has played a key role in the growth of the organization. Her son, DJ, performed with Pacific Crest in 1996, and Yoder has been on the board ever since. After receiving a certificate in bookkeeping and being elected treasurer of the board, she took over the accounting functions, and chairs the finance and budget committee. "Pacific Crest is a really great group to work with," Yoder said. "The volunteers and the kids keep me coming back. It's like a big family, and I love watching the kids change every year." Yoder continued to increase her workload with Pacific Crest, and now organizes DCI tour events, plans the banquet, and manages the entire merchandising operation for the drum corps. "Betty and George are like managing executives of Pacific Crest, allowing me to focus on program development and planning," says Pompel. "They each spend upwards of 20 hours per week of their own time on Pacific Crest business, and I'm not sure what we'd do without them." "Like all drum corps, Pacific Crest relies on the passion and hard work of several key volunteers," said Pompel. "George and Betty are the longest-serving of them, and have played significant roles in during our formative years. Without them, we would not be where we are today." Thank you George and Betty!