Scout House Creates Competitive Winter Guard

The new Magic of Scout House winter guard is putting the final touches on its floor routine in preparation for appearances in southern Ontario and on the Northeast Color Guard Contest (NECGC) circuit, beginning with a contest in Orchard Park, New York on January 31 and winding up at the NECGC championships in Brockport, New York on April 12.

The Magic of Scout House, formed in the late summer of 2014, will compete in the NECGC senior category as an all ages winter guard. With the addition of a winter guard, the Scout House organization offers a complete year round marching arts program for men and women of all ages including concerts, parades and field shows by Scout House Band; stage shows and contests by Scout House Mini Corps; parades, concerts and field appearances by Scout House Cadets youth drum and bugle corps; winter contests and performances by Magic of Scout House colour guard.

Staff members expect Magic’s 2015 production of “Can We Auto-Correct This Life?” to be a fan favourite, marking the inaugural season with an eye opening, entertaining production that will keep people thinking. The floor routine explores the dramatic explosion in the use of social media over the past decade, with the number of hours people spend on networking sites like Facebook and Twitter increasing by 82 percent. Ironically, the increased use of social media has made us less social by reducing face-to-face communications. People on networking sites aren’t as socially-skilled in real life as they were only a few decades ago. The increasing time spent on social networking sites adversely affect one’s personal communication skills.

Magic of Scout House staff members include designer and instructor Rick Petherick, guard director Chris Bradshaw and writer, designer and staff coordinator Craig Raymond.

After spending the past summer teaching and marching with the Scout House field show’s auxiliary rifle and banner spin guard, Petherick proposed to the Scout House board of directors that a winter guard be created. He is a well-known instructor and innovator who has been active in marching arts since the early 1970s.

Chris Bradshaw has many years of experience managing and directing drum corps. He started his drum corps career as a marching member in the Dutch Boy Cadets before moving up to the Dutch Boy Drum Corps. After aging out, he returned to Dutch Boy to serve as corps director for many years.

Craig Raymond, who also marched with Dutch Boy, is well known across North America for teaching and designing skills. He has a highly competitive track record and has produced some of the best guards in the country.

Magic of Scout House has received generous support from other organizations during its first season of activity. Beyond Contracting, a Kitchener firm, has donated the use of a trailer, which is being used to store equipment when the guard is not active and to haul equipment on road trips. Guard equipment includes spin rifles, sabres, flags, a huge floor mat and the couches, chairs and tables used as props during the floor routine. M.M. Robinson High School Drumline of Burlington has loaned the floor mat for use this winter. Legacy Winterguard of Hamilton will travel with Magic of Scout House on road trips, to help reduce bus costs for both groups.

Scout House Band will be throwing the doors of its winter rehearsal building wide open on Sunday, February 8 to welcome guests to sit in on section rehearsals, join in an ensemble performance and enjoy some refreshments and plenty of face to face social time. The afternoon schedule will also allow time to watch videos of various Scout House events over the past year.

Doors Open Recruiting Day events will begin at 1 pm at the Knights of Columbus building, 333 Speedsville Road in the Preston section of Cambridge. The purpose of the event is to recruit and promote retention of new brass, percussion, guard and volunteer
support staff members in a comfortable social setting. Prior drum and bugle corps experience is not necessary. Current Scout House membership includes men and women ranging from teenagers to older members well into their retirement years, who come from more than 20 communities across southern Ontario.

For more information about all Preston Scout House activities, contact Activities Coordinator Nancy Weiler at telephone (519) 653-3376, email prestonscouthouseband [dot] adm [at] sympatico [dot] ca or visit the Web site at http://www.scouthouseband.com/