Looking for some long lost friends

[onceuponatime]

Some of you might remember Mike Lawrence ’72, the good-looking, curly blond drummer from Bergenfield. Well Mike has been living in Massachusetts for a number of years now (he probably had an addiction problem with fried clams, so he moved closer to the source). Anyway, when Mike heard about the plans this year to have alumni receptions at various contests around the country to give alumni who have been out of touch an opportunity to relive some of their memories and meet the members of the 2009 Holy Name Cadets....who are after all, in essence, us at an earlier age…he got an idea (Cadets are always full of ideas…only we call it innovation).

This opportunity to reconnect with the corps got Mike thinking about his own experiences in uniform, and especially about the close bond between the 27th Lancers and the Cadets in 1972. He contacted the Cadets to see if the corps would be open to expanding the Beverly, Mass. Reception on July 2 to include members of the 1972 Lancers who he remembered so fondly. He offered to attempt to track down as many of the ’72 Lancers as possible, with this letter the result:

“This year is the 75th Anniversary of the Holy Name Cadets (the current name, but for the past 40 years or so, the Cadets, Garfield Cadets, Cadets of Garfield or for a while Bergen County, or some variation of this).. This year they will be playing at a show up here (in Beverly) on July 2nd, and they have arranged a special gathering for Cadet alumnus from the area to get together beginning the afternoon before the show, as an Anniversary Celebration. The plans include some afternoon events, "drum corps style" dinner, and the show taking place later in the evening.

Although I have not engaged the corps for many years, my participation remains one of the most memorable experiences of my life to date and has created a bond with an entity that seems to transcend the fact that I am no longer a marching member (an unfortunate fate that the current crew will suffer all too soon)... I believe this is likely true of many drum corps alum. Thus, as I said in my earlier message I marched in 1972 and during that year the staff set up an exchange of sorts between the Lancers and the Cadets. When we traveled to each others home turf to play, we hosted each other in our respective homes and became friends. Additionally, we met up again at the first DCI Nationals in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where we were edged out of the finals by the Bayonne Bridgemen, prompting a bit of additional "support" from 27th which served to further "bond" our corps together, (you had to be there...).

Anyone who has ever participated in drum corps knows that bonds are formed when you combine exhausting hard work, competition, stress and adversity, the emotion generated by playing and listening to music, and a dependence upon each other to win. In reality, I think there is also some level of inherent competitive nature in all who participate in drum corps since practice alone will not take you to the winners circle. At the time, we felt that certain corps had "an attitude", or in some cases we just became rivals. This was not the case with 27th. A level of mutual respect developed between us quickly. We were a very young corps that year, and even though we were competitors, the 1972 Lancers were performing at a whole different level. I was not the only Cadet at the time who was moved by their strength, confidence and what appeared to be a sense of pride and history that went far beyond what I now know to be only a short time in existence. This is a true testament to the founding members and participants of a superb group that I remember so fondly.

Well, I have thought of them often since I have been living in Massachusetts and since we have not seen our Lancer comrades in a short while (only about 37 years) I thought that it might be about time to "invite them over..." I have cleared this with the people that are setting up the event and they have agreed to extend the invitation to the 1972 27th Lancer alum as well. If you can help locate some of them and help me extend an invitation for them and their families to come "hang" with us we would be honored to have them.

Note that I started writing this over a month ago, but life has a habit of getting in the way. Hopefully it's not too late...

I will get you the actual details when I get them but it will be sometime in the afternoon on 7/2.”

So this is where he could use our help. If anyone is in contact with any 1972 Lancers, Mike would like to know how to contact them. The Lancers Alumni Association is assisting as well, but this is one of those plans where the more help you can get the better off you’ll be. If you can help Mike out with any information please contact him at: "Lawrence, Mike" <mlawrence@sloan.mit.edu>

[lp1955]

http://www.27thlancers.net/

You can try here hope this helps.