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As an Alumni member for 10 years playing has been so wonderful. I'm a drummer. My hubby is first sop. Married in junior corps 36 years ago. Drum Corps marriages do last, lol. Take Care Val Courneyea Scout House

Thank you, both of you. As usual, we practised last winter 1 to 2 times per week indoors, depending upon if you were musical, colour guard or drill team. Early spring, we rented an indoor soccer dome twice to get the drill going early and hit the pavement. With this terribly hot summer, we've sweat rivers like every other drum corps, and the final Alumni Show was Oh So Worth It. 13 1/2 hours on a bus to get there and 13 back. We are so proud of all of the participants in the Alumni Spectacular. A job well done by all. Thank you for reporting Cathie. It's the only report on the Alumni Show that I've found so far. Yes, Gary our DM does look great in shorts. Even better when he takes his shirt off, lol. We were disappointed that we couldn't buy DCA T-shirts at the Alumni Show. The lady told us that the Alumni Show was not considered a DCA Event, so they weren't selling them until the night show. She said that they would sell out at the night show, so it wasn't necessary to sell them in the morning. Well.... Couldn't get Navy ones either, dang it. You take care Cathie. Thanks Val Scout House 2002 to 2012 - Drumline Etobicoke Crusaders 1969 to 1974 - Drumline

Absolutely Grandpa. We're doing it for the kids, but it may develop into a feeder corps. So many schools here have taken music and phys-ed out of their programs. It's a shame. Music kinders the spirit and those who get music early exceed later in maths and sciences. We'd like to contribute to the future. Thanks

Thanks for your wonderful review of the show BigW, especially your kind words about Scout House. The heat just about killed us, but I think we did a successful show for the conditions. Don`t want to think that I`m getting too old for this after 9 years back in uniform again, but I was done in even after the morning practise. We`ve had the same heat here in Southern Ontario that you`ve been getting. We`re likely just not as used to it. Hubby and I both march, he 1st sop, me tenor drum. I love the field at Bucknell. So nice to walk on. Take Care Val Scout House P.S. Off to Oshawa (east of Toronto) tomorrow for the Toronto Optimist`s show.

Hi Rich: Thanks for the history. You are very accurate. Every parade now that we do in downtown Preston (which is now Cambridge. Announcers, we are from Cambridge, not Preston) starts at Scout House and we march up King Street as they did in the '30s. What a crowd we had on July 1st, Canada Day, bringing up the rear, with all the guard with Canadian flags. The boys rebuilt the building to be a wonder of architecture. It's beautiful with big wooden beams and all. We are named for something proud. Thanks Val Courneyea Tenor, Scout House

Have a sense of humour Standy. Of course it's an honour to perform and I'd do it at 4am if need be. We had so much fun. Just the chance to be back on the starting line like we did in the early 70's was such a joy. My hubby and I were away from drum corps for 28 years (ex Etobicoke Crusaders) before we picked up a horn and drum again in 2002, and it all came back. The joy of the competion/exhibition, the comraderie, the bus trips, and the looking up at a glowing crowd. That's what drum corps is about. The RUSH. Such a thrill to be there. I thank the Alumni people for having us. A great Joy. I just wondered how it worked. Cheers

Myself and others would like to know how the placing of the corps are for the Alumni Show. Maybe you can help me out here Tom. Scout House has been doing the show for 8 years now and we still show up first. Are there dues to pay. Besides Cabs, our sister corps. we were the only one to put on a full field show. I am being positive that DCA would like to put us on early to drag a crowd out. What tre the politics. Also, I was disappointed at DCA`s coverage of the event on their website. They said `The show started with the Optimist Alumni from Toronto, etc. I guess we and others werent`t there.

How is the order settled evtry year? It was a pain to get going for 10 am. I thought that Scout House had somewhat paid their dues and could go on later in the program. Who decides what? I'd really like to know. I'd like to think that DCA had us on earlier to get more of a crowd in, seeing as that we do a full field show, and have a great following. I try to think posetively. Thanks

Thanks very much Kevin, your remarks are kind. I would like to think kindly that DCAs decision to put Scout House on first was a crowd pleaser to bring more people earier on into the stadium. We were one of the few with a full field show. We had a wonderful time at the show. Thanks

I hear that the weather will be just great, so good luck on that. The Scout House show was filled with die hard fans until the end with the rain, so hope your show is even better. Good to see the beginning of a Southern Ontario circuit going again. Unfortunately, not the kids, but the Alumni are making it strong in spirit. Good Luck Opti We'll see you there.

Yes Rob, your drum solo sounded much better last night. I don't know what it was but it fell together in Waterloo. I know what it is when it feels good, and it felt good last night. Len is is an absolute performer. He has the whitest teeth under floodlights, LOL. and a real crowd pleaser. Eh gads, it didn't even feel like we were projecting. It felt like the sound of the drums were eaten up by the rubber by-product that the field was made up of. Be happy that you did't have the stadium to warm up on. You guys may have been peed off because we had the stadium to practise on but it was the pits as far as I was concerned. I wore my athletic sandals as usual and the itty bit of rubber thingys that the field is made up of got between our feet and sandals and ground into our feet. Really painful, but drum corps usual, just put up with it. Nice field to march on with proper shows, rain or not. Did not find it slippery in the rain. I think Kingston should have taken the chance for a full field show. #### fine show had by all. Drum Corps in Canada is on the go. Sad to see on Drum Corps Planet that there is no coverage of Canadian shows. Cheers

It was an awesome show despite the rain. 95% of a good sized crowd stuck around to the very end to see Scout House. Optimists - you sounded so much better than you did in Buffalo. You just keep getting better. United - I was really impressed and you too sounded so much better than you did Thursday night at the Dundas parade. Len, your DM is wonderful. Kingston Grenadiers - so glad that you could come. Unfortunately due to the rain I think was why you decided to do a stand still. Your increased tempo may have been dangerous on the the wet field. But boy, did you guys sound and look good! Scout House - well it`s hard for me to comment being one of them, but when I looked up to see a sea of colourful umbrellas, sticking it out and cheering us on, I was smiles from ear to ear. The show felt good and the crowd was so awesome to us. Thanks to all the participants, organizers and volunteer helpers. The BBQ beforehand that fed over 200 participants was really delicious. Rain or Snow, Go Canada Go. Cheers Val Courneyea

Rochester was a wonderful show. All corps, competing and non did great presentattions. My Scout House arrived in the parking lot two minutes before we had to go on and there was no time for a warmup. We came straight from a parade that morning in Warren, PA, changed back into sweaty uniforms enroute and rushed to the field. You may have noted that we waited for one of snares and a cymbalist who arrived from the other side of back field. Thank you to the announcer who said, 'I thought that I would never say this again, but Scout House, are you ready to go Off The Line?' Yes, we start at the 0 yard line again. Thank you to the crowd for a wonderful reception. And thanks Kevin. Statesmen, you were awesome. No Tom, we did not get new instruments. Same old ones. Just playing better. See you in Lewisburg in two weeks. Thanks Val Drumline, Scout House P.S. Just got home at 10:45 pm. We did a parade at 1pm in Adarondaquot (sp?). The lineup at the border took two hours to get through, but we were processed very quickly through customs (coming and going).

Who could forget Toronto's Etobicoke Crusaders? 69 to 74. First corps to romp on the field with King Herod's Song. Always a crowd pleasing corps. We are celebrating 40 years. Join their Facebook page. Rundown from 73 Canadian National Championships were: Standstill: Golden Lions, Ventures of Kitchener/Waterloo, Townsmen of Leamington. Jr. C.: Senators of Brampton, Kiwanis Kavaliers, Lancers, Guardsmen, East Scarborough Kinsmen, Durham Girls, Marching Saints. Jr. B. Prelim.: Cardinals of Precious Blood, Optimists Knights, Dutchmen, Etobicoke Crusaders, Krescendos, Dutch Boy, Bluewater Lionaires of Sarnia. Girls Prelim.: St. Johns of Brampton, Les Cavaliers, Les Eclipes, Marching Angels. Jr. A Prelim.: Cadets LaSalle, Seneca Princemen, Midlanders, Toronto Optimists, De LaSalle Oaklands, 4th Brigade. Most of the above corps are not in existence any longer. There was a show every weekend as we made the circuit through Southern Ontario. We made a tour to the U.S. (e.g. Marion, OH, Toledo, OH) and to Quebec every summer (can't remember where we went, LOL. Couldn't undertand French anyway.) Thank goodness for Alumni: Scout House (who my hubby & I march with), Optimists, Niagara, Midlanders, United, Del, Toronto Sigs, and the newly forming OnCorps, to name most of them. All the Alumni are currently working on getting a Circuit going. It's time for Southern Ontario to rise again. Poor Dutch Boy can't get any U.S. corps to come this far north on their circuit to hold their annual show any longer. Thanks, Val.

Preston Scout House 17 Guard (including DMs) 27 Percussion (No Pit) 45 Horns 89 Total Val