Magic Of Scout House Sweeps To 2015 NECGC Championship

Scout House winter guard had the magic touch during the NorthEast Color Guard Circuit (NECGC) contest schedule, sweeping to the championship in the Senior division after finishing in top spot in every caption in every contest since the group’s inaugural appearance in Orchard Park, New York in January.

Magic of Scout House finished first in the equipment analysis, movement analysis, design analysis and general effect captions and had top total score at the championship contest in Brockport, New York on Sunday April 12 and in earlier events in Medina, Lancaster and Orchard Park. Magic also appeared in exhibition in winter guard shows in Hamilton, Waterdown and Kitchener, Ontario during the past few months. At the championship contest in Brockport Emily Kowalczyk, currently in her second year of nursing studies at McMaster University and Mohawk College in Hamilton, won the $500 scholastic award. She also marched in the rifle/banner spin line during Scout House field show appearances in 2014.

The competitive winter guard is one of five units operating under the Preston Scout House Band Inc. umbrella of activities. The organization includes Scout House Band, Preston Scout House Cadets youth drum and bugle corps, Scout House mini corps, a brass ensemble and the winter guard. Preston Scout House Band, Inc. is a non-profit corporation with registered charity status able to issue tax receipts to donors, incorporated under the Corporations Act of the Province of Ontario on November 29, 1956.

Magic of Scout House was formed in the late summer of 2014 to compete in the NECGC senior category as an all ages winter guard.

The 2015 production of “Can We Auto-Correct This Life?” was a fan favourite at every appearance: an eye opening, entertaining production that kept people thinking by exploring the dramatic explosion in the use of social media over the past decade, during which the number of hours people spent on networking sites like Facebook and Twitter increasing by 82 percent.

Ironically, many people feel the increased use of social media is making 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 is widely thought to 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. The colour guard received generous support from other organizations during its first season of activity. Beyond Contracting, a Kitchener firm, donated the use of a trailer used to store equipment when the guard was 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.

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/