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Become a Founding Donor
Be among the first to build the Foundation — recognized as the cornerstone of a lasting legacy.
Become a FounderFriend de Coup is Mitchell's award-winning show choir and youth program — four decades of turning kids into confident performers, leaders, and lifelong friends. Your gift keeps every student center stage.
Behind every high-energy number is a youth program teaching skills that last a lifetime. Show choir is where Mitchell students learn who they can become.
Stepping into a spotlight in front of thousands turns nervous kids into fearless young adults.
Section leaders, captains, and mentors learn to lift up the people around them.
80+ performers moving as one — nobody succeeds unless everybody shows up for each other.
Early mornings, long rehearsals, and relentless practice build a work ethic that carries into life.
A place to be fully yourself — the friendships forged here last long after graduation.
Voice, dance, and stage craft at a genuinely elite level — excellence students carry for life.
Friend de Coup doesn't just compete — it sets the standard. Grand Champion honors, a legacy Hall of Fame, and one of the region's marquee events, all run out of Mitchell.
Each year FDC welcomes show choirs from across the country to the Mitchell Show Choir Classic — packing the house, filling downtown, and putting Mitchell on the map as a destination for the art form. It's competition, community, and hometown pride all at once.
Four decades of performers, directors, and champions — honoring the people who built the legacy and inspiring the students writing its next chapter.
Moments from Friend de Coup's competition season — energy, artistry, and heart.
Photography by Wilson · South Titan Classic 2026
The FDC Foundation removes financial barriers and expands access to life-changing opportunities in the performing arts. Here's exactly what your gift powers.
Charter buses, hotels, and entry fees that put FDC on the biggest regional and national stages.
Custom costumes, sets, lighting, sound, and choreography that turn a song into a showstopper.
Participation support covering fees, shoes, and travel — so cost never decides who belongs.
A foundation built to sustain the program season after season — your gift, carried forward.
Choose how you want to leave your mark on the next generation of Friend de Coup.
Be among the first to build the Foundation — recognized as the cornerstone of a lasting legacy.
Become a FounderCover the fees, travel, and gear for a student who couldn't otherwise take part.
Sponsor a StudentPower everything from choreography to costumes to the bus that gets the team to the floor.
Support FDCEvery level is recognized and every gift matters — or give any amount that's meaningful to you.
Giving at every level — see all giving levels →
The full ensemble, mid-show
The name Friend de Coup — loosely, "friends take over" — was adopted in memory of group member Jason Kaemingk, who passed away in 1995.
For more than 40 years it has stood for music, energy, camaraderie, and a standard of performance that defines Mitchell. Today FDC performs at the Mitchell Area Performing Arts Center and competes across the country — and the Foundation is how that tradition reaches the students who haven't yet stepped on stage.
It takes a whole community to put a show on the competition floor. Add your name to the people who make it happen.
Donate to the FDC FoundationYes. All donations to the FDC Foundation are tax-deductible through our partnership with the Mitchell Music Boosters, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donors receive appropriate documentation for tax purposes.
Directly to the student experience: removing financial barriers, competition travel, costumes and production, and access so cost is never the reason a student misses out. The Foundation funds the program — not overhead.
Show choir is the vehicle; the mission is young people. Students build confidence, leadership, teamwork, and discipline — skills that carry into college, careers, and life. Hundreds of alumni credit FDC as formative.
Absolutely. Recurring monthly gifts are among the most valuable forms of support because they give the Foundation predictable, year-round funding. Choose a monthly option on the donation page.
Businesses can sponsor a show, a costume package, travel, or the full season — with recognition in programs, at performances, and here on the site. Reach out through the contact section to build a package that fits.
Questions about giving, sponsorships, or planned gifts? We'd love to hear from you.
605-350-5866 — Darren
605-770-0844 — Chris
Mitchell, South Dakota
We'd love to help. Tap below to send your message straight to the Foundation — it'll open in your email app, ready to go. Prefer to talk? Darren and Chris are always happy to hear from you.
Send my messageWe'll get back to you as soon as we can. Thank you for supporting FDC!