I T I N E R A R Y
Upcoming Dates In Preparation For Tour:
Sun 6/5/22 10:30am TWBR Sunday
Wesleys lead the entire service & provide music.
Sun 6/5/22 5:00pm Final Rehearsal
Tues 6/7/22 6:00pm Uniform Distribution
7:30pm Run-Through for Parents
Start Packing Equipment
Weds 6/8/22 6:00pm Rose Dinner
The dinner is a time of reflection and preparation for those who will be on tour, both ringers and chaperones. We will hand out tour manuals and present service awards and cross-crosslets. This is not an optional activity. Please wear dress clothes - no jeans, no sneakers.
General Information:
Medical Releases and Signed Documents:
- We will need a current copy of your ringer’s insurance and COVID vaccination card on file.
- Tour personnel will need to bring their COVID vaccination card with them on tour.
We updated medical release forms at the parent meeting in May. We will have the forms available for final update the week before we leave. Please contact Gina if something changes. Carla will be the medical point person on tour. Parents, please discuss with her any concerns regarding your ringer. Your ringer should only bring enough prescription medication for the days that we are on tour. Carla can manage your ringer’s medication if you wish. All tour personnel will be given a vitamin to maintain their good health.
Masking Policy: We will be masking in public spaces, churches, and public spaces in a host home. We are traveling as a pod. We will not be expected to wear masks on the bus, but anyone may if they choose to. We will provide an updated COVID procedure as we get closer to departure as the guidelines are sometimes changing.
Luggage: Each ringer is allowed one medium sized suitcase and one carry-on bag which will fit in an overhead bin of the bus. TWBR will provide a garment bag for TWBR uniform and a drawstring backpack for TWBR uniform shoes and other misc parts of the uniform - belt, socks, slip, girl’s necklace, shoes, etc). You may also want to pack a small kit to include: toothbrush / toothpaste / hairbrush, etc to freshen up at the church before the concert to be included in this drawstring backpack. Ringers do not open their suitcases while at the church.
IMPORTANT: IF YOU BRING MORE “STUFF” THAN YOU CAN PERSONALLY CARRY INTO OR OUT OF A CHURCH / HOTEL IN ONE TRIP, YOU BROUGHT TOO MUCH “STUFF.”
Pillows and blankets can be taken on the bus. This post-COVID tour is a little different than in the past. Most of our nights will be in a hotel or church gym / fellowship hall. RINGERS WILL NEED TO BRING A SLEEPING BAG and MAT. We will be able to borrow those for ringers who need these items. Most host families will let the kids do laundry, so it is not necessary to pack more than five or six days of clothing. Note: A host family may be willing to let the kids do their own laundry, but should not be asked to do it for them. If we are in a hotel, most have laundry facilities. We will have laundry detergent and dryer sheets on the bus that we will take in each night if ringers need to do laundry.
Weather in the northwest is sometimes chilly and wet. A light jacket or sweatshirt is recommended, and every ringer should bring some sort of raincoat. We will not skip any planned sightseeing activity because of rain. Shorts may not be the ideal apparel on some days so bring a pair of long pants. We will do extensive walking. Bring appropriate shoes (at least one pair of closed-toe). A collapsible umbrella is also recommended.
We will be going kayaking and river rafting. While most of the necessary gear is provided by the outfitter, a pair of shoes that can get wet is required. Katie will update ringers on this. Our river trip is planned for Thurs, June 23 from 12-4pm on the Wenatchee River. You will need this information to fill out the waiver online. We may also be taking a kayak ride and a waiver will be required for that (more information to follow).
Swimsuits are highly recommended for hotel nights. Please wear appropriate swimwear! Cameras, binoculars, a personal musical player (with headphones), and reading material are also desirable items to pack.
There are rules governing how and when cell phones can be used. Ringers should not use host home phones to make calls home. Parents - please remember - tour is like a job and life - there is a time to work and time to play. Please try to avoid contacting your ringer during “work” time: 4pm - 10pm. Your ringer can call you from a host home - but please try to keep time of conversation to a minimum as ringers should be visiting with their hosts.
While on tour, the chaperones serve as temporary parents. If your ringer is having trouble with something on tour, you must encourage them to talk about it with a chaperone. We can’t fix a problem we don’t know about.
Clothing: Parents, please pay attention to what clothing is being packed. The clothing we put on each morning is what we will be wearing when we arrive at a church in the evening. Our appearance is the first thing that host church members have to judge us by. What is and isn’t acceptable will be discussed at length with the choir, but please double-check their choices. Shorts shouldn’t be too short, no bra straps or underwear should be showing.
Uniforms: Each ringer will be provided a TWBR garment bag with their name on it. These bags are for uniforms only. All other belongings must fit in the suitcase or carry-on. The TWBR drawstring backpack that is issued to the ringer will be for them to keep. It should contain shoes and other uniform parts including belts, socks, slips, jewelry, etc. If you are unsure what uniform items are needed and for which items you are responsible, contact Trisha. THE NAME OF THE RINGER SHOULD BE ON ALL UNIFORM ITEMS INCLUDING SHOES.
Money: Ringers are responsible for their own lunches ($10 / day x 16) and dinner (5 x $20) on hotel nights. The approximate costs for meals is $260 and may vary with each individual’s taste and appetite. Additional money will be needed only for snacks and souvenirs. Past experience has shown that $400 should meet the needs of most ringers. We do have a small amount of scholarship money available. Contact Katie directly regarding scholarships.
The “Bank”: It is recommended that choir members deposit all but one or two days of spending money in the choir bank (by cash or check). Checks, made out to The Wesley Bell Ringers, should be given to Jenn Regnier by Sunday, June 5. Each day we will open the bank for withdrawals to cover the days’ expenses. Ringers will be kept informed of the days’ estimated spending requirements and their account balance at the time of each withdrawal.
Rules: The members of the choir will have explained to them - in great detail - the rules by which we travel. They cover such things as behavior in host churches and homes as well as hotels. Appropriate language is expected at all times. Most importantly, they are expected to be where they are told to be when they are told to be there. We have a good group of chaperones - but no babysitters. The choir members should understand, and so should their parents, that serious or repeated rule violations can get a ringer flown home at the expense of their parents. It is a last resort, but it has happened.
Mail: It is a bummer not to get mail from home!! Mail will be distributed each concert night before dinner. Believe it or not, your kids will miss you - so send them a note, even a care package! Check out the church schedule. Be sure to get the letters to the post office in plenty of time to get to the churches. PLEASE DO NOT SEND MAIL TO THE HOTELS.
Typical Daily Bus Activity:
Load & Board The Bus (Zip On & Off!)
Write Thank You Note to Host Home
Pass Out Vitamins
Quiet Time
Inspirational Activity / Craft
Bank
Chaperones:
* Contact Info Not Posted Here for Privacy - Use GroupMe for Info
Katie (Director) (6/11 - 6/26)
Jenn (Parent) (6/11 - 6/26)
Carla (Parent / Medical) (6/11 - 6/26)
Gina (Former Parent) (6/11 - 6/18)
Tracey (Parent) (6/18 - 6/26)
Mark (Parent) (6/18 - 6/26)
Packing Cheat Sheet:
Luggage / Sleeping:
One carry-on sized suitcase (needs to fit in the overhead bin of an airplane)
One TWBR issued drawstring backpack (checked by uniform parents 6/8)
One TWBR issued uniform garment bag (checked by uniform parents 6/8)
One sleeping bag
One sleeping pad
Clothing:
TWBR issued 2022 tour t-shirt
TWBR complete uniform (girls: includes necklace!) (checked by uniform parents 6/8)
5-6 days worth of comfortable, appropriate clothes (including: shorts / long pants / t-shirts / socks / underwear) NOTE: we will be doing laundry!!
comfortable, closed-toe shoes for everyday travel & touring
one pair water shoes (could be: chacos, crocs, etc)
swimsuit & towel
rain jacket
sweatshirt
Bus Stuff:
pillow and blankie
re-usable water bottle (if you need one, text Katie)
entertainment (guitars / instruments okay but cannot take into host homes)
headphones!!
snacks you cannot live without
When we go to host homes and hotels, you should only be taking your suitcase and backpack, your uniform bag and shoe bag - only what you can carry yourself in one trip. If you can’t carry all that to the bus the next morning, you’ve got too much stuff!!