Royal Canadian Legion Donation To Scout House Band And Cadets

The three Royal Canadian Legion branches in Cambridge (Preston, Galt and Hespeler) have donated $1,000 to the Scout House Band organization through their Tri-Branch Warriors Day fund. The donation will be shared equally by Scout House Band and Scout House Cadets.

Donations to the Scout House organization from community groups so far in 2015 amount to more than $15,000. In addition to the Royal Canadian Legion, supporters and the amount donated to Scout House include: Toyota Motor Manufacturing Corporation, $2,500; Strassburger Windows and Do?ors, $2,500; Kiwanis Cambridge, $500; City of Cambridge, $5,000; Cambridge and North Dumfries Community Foundation $1,440; CND Fischer endowment fund, $1,400; Long & McQuade $1,500 (store credit).

Scout House Band and Cadets both performed at the Legion’s Warriors Day Tattoo at Preston Legion Branch 126 on Saturday September 19. The Cadets and other groups performed outdoors before a fierce rain drove spectators indoors to the auditorium to enjoy performances by Simcoe United Alumni drum and bugle corps and Scout House Band. Each group played concert selections separately. The two horn lines combined to play You’ll Never Walk Alone.

In return for Canadian Legion support, Scout House honours members of the community’s Legion branches by participating in such special events as the Warriors Day Tattoo and Remembrance Day ceremonies on November 11. In addition to financial support over the past 15 years Preston Legion Branch126, Hespeler Branch 272, Galt Branch 121 and the Cambridge Navy Club have provided space for brass, percussion and guard practice sessions at various times.

Scout House fall and winter practice sessions have now moved indoors to the Band’s winter home, the Preston Knights of Columbus building at 333 Speedsville Road. Regular brass and percussion sessions take place Sunday afternoons from 1 to 4 pm, with internal small group sessions on Sunday mornings. Wednesday evening brass section practices take place at the Cambridge Navy Club. All those interested in joining the Band, providing committee or other support or just watching a rehearsal are welcome to attend.

The Cadets rehearse Wednesday evenings at the Scout House building at 1580 Queenston Road in the Preston neighbourhood of Cambridge. Boys and girls from ages 10 to 18 are welcome to join at any time of year. No prior marching arts experience is required.

Since its first stage concert 16 years ago in spring 1999, Scout House Band has performed more than 450 parades, concerts and field shows across Ontario and Quebec and 10 American states, from Michigan to Florida.

Scout House Band began in 1938 as an innovative new activity for boys of the First Preston Boy Scout troop. Over the following 30 years Preston Scout House, named for the building that was home for the troop, became one of the best-known and most popular drum and bugle corps in North America.

The current version of the Band has earned more than 50 plaques, certificates of appreciation, parade prizes and awards including the City of Cambridge cultural award for achievement in music. The men and women in the Band who come from more than 20 communities across Ontario and New York have been associated with more than 70 marching music units in addition to Scout House.

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.

For more information about the Scout House organization, contact Activities Director 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/