By now you're all probably feeling a bit anxious. It was -17 yesterday sure, but today it hit almost 14 degrees! You're probably thinking now, we're on the up and up. Spring is just around the corner!

And you'd be right. As we speak, signings are happening, wheels are rolling up in Soccer Suburb, USA (Blaine). And down here in MSP? Things are about to start rolling for the Dark Clouds, too.

Last year at our season opener we unfurled the largest banner this league has ever seen. It not only set the standard in the NASL but got us a lot of attention from the folks up in MLS.


(that's about a 1/4th of it)

Last season we got that attention. This season, we're gonna do something with it.

Development of the 2013 project is kept pretty under wraps. We like it to be a surprise for our friends and family as much as for other fans in the league. What I will tell you though is this:

2013's display is unparalleled in this sport.

In order to back that claim up though, we need help. We need hands, we need supplies, support, donations, you name it. In the coming weeks we are going to begin amassing supplies. Last seasons banner cost us almost 1,000 dollars. This seasons is expected to surpass that.

Thankfully, our new membership system is going to cover a lot of that cost. It makes it much easier to have things like this happen. That said, there will still be a lot of peripheral costs that the membership funds wont cover (at least if we want to make sure we can provide all the other cool stuff to you, too). If you'd like to help make this happen by donating funds, shoot me a message and we can work it out.


But Pfutz, I'm poor!

That's ok Pfutz, I am, too.

We need help beyond money. We're going to need creative, crafty folks. I can't say more than that — so email dctifo at gmail dot com to get involved.

Things we know we need:

Money for or supplies of:

- Fabric
- More Fabric
- Projector
- White crayons/fabric pencils
- Paint
- Poles/PVC
- craft supplies
- Cardboard
- Paint brushes
- Paint trays
- rollers/brushes
- painters tape
- glue
- various hardware/fixtures

Manpower needed:

cutting
measuring
sewing (with machine)
tracing
painting
taping
game day duties (explained via email)

Timeline: We will be working over the next 2 months, with major efforts begining early in feb. Working sessions will start at once weekly and ramp up to 3 or more depending on how things are going.

Demonstrating our support through passionate creativity, in song and banner, is what makes us who we are. When it comes to creativity, the DC's have always punched above our weight. I believe it's made us better supporters than anyone else in the United States—now let's work together to prove that.

Email dctifo at gmail dot com to get involved.

Proud to be the left knee cap of this Dark Cloud Voltron!

Just sayin', my sources indicate that $450 of supporters club money was used for banner materials last year. I don't mean to downplay the contributions that people made, but nor should the contributions of supporters club members be downplayed.

Thanks, for bringing that up. It is a valid point. Last season member funds were only available after the fact, and only as a incomplete percentage of total costs. and therefore all costs were absorbed by individual members upfront. This is an encumbering process that I'm hoping to limit the burden of.

I'm gonna shoot you a PM to clear some stuff up about the financial situation!

I can sew and do fabric-y stuff.

I'm in, I'm crafty and such. let me know what i can do from here and depending on the schedule maybe i can get down a few times. when it gets closer to game day, I'll try to commit more and be apart of the unfurling. As for money, I can spare a few bucks. where does it go?

can i be the right shoulder? generally when someone charges another the right shoulder is used. I would like to do that damage.

I sew and am crafty at times. I'll even vacuum/move the cat's favorite sleeping area before I sew big stretches of fabric this time...

I'm also in for other random things as needed.

As I told you before my labor and financial support is contingent on the renaming of the group to the Dark Brads.

Edit:
Email sent.

After we have a more signifigant internal discussion about funding the project via memberships we'll have a clear picture on the situation with donations.

Obviously this is why we have paid memberships - I just wasn't clear on financial allocations at the time that I posted this thread!

Thanks for the outpour of support, in simple terms: we'll get back to you

Regarding volunteering - just shoot me an email at dctifo@gmail.com and you'll all get brought up to speed!

Thanks again.

sent, from my school email. I'll probably be using that more than my other now that the semester has started.

Can we work some scimitar-wielding flying monkeys into the design?

http://ebooksmio.com/uploads/posts/2012-03-19/dark-clouds-gather_1.jpg

If in any of the TIFO item you could use photos from the last seasons, please let me know.


Jeremy

Head explode.

Thank you, DG

My sewing machine is always available to anyone who wants to borrow it. My time, however, is pretty tight.

Sign me up on the paint crew.

Shoot your email to dctifo@gmail.com!!!

I'm not prone to gratuitous use of all caps, nor of the word "stoked." With that said, I AM SO EFFING STOKED FOR THIS.

If I have your email, I have sent out the first letter. It has the concept and some news in it.

Expect more to come!