Jaminbenb Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Wow....got this email last night right before I went to bed: Greetings fellow Westshoremen!As most of you know, the Management Team has been meeting at the conclusion of every rehearsal. Several weeks ago you received an email indicating the need for replacing a number of people who announced they would retire at the end of this years performance weekend. The management team met again following the March rehearsal. Members were invited to join that meeting.Following discussions, the Management Team voted to cease all operations at the end of this years performance in York on April 9. This extremely difficult decision was reached after careful thought and consideration of many factors in addition to the need to replace some key people.The Westshoremen Alumni Corps has been quite unique in the world of alumni organizations. Our schedule, consisting of very few rehearsals, and our all-volunteer staff to name just two. For the past ten years the Westshoremen have been dazzling audiences and other corps, usually prompting the question, "How do they do that?" The answer is quite simple: it is the combination of your dedication and talent.To all the members, staff, schools and other drum corps who have helped and supported the Westshoremen during these past years, THANK YOU! A special thank you to the young people in the corps who, while they never marched in drum corps, have been so much a part of keeping our performance quality and quantity at the top. We hope we have introduced you to something that has been an important part of our lives for so very long. Perhaps one day you will get 'the bug'; we will be there to cheer you on!What remains is one more weekend with the Friday night rehearsal (8th) and the rehearsal and performance day on Saturday (9th). We have had three great rehearsals and will have a full drum line and nearly 60 horns for this final performance. We will be wonderful. There is something to be said about 'GOING OUT ON TOP'!!!THE MANAGEMENT TEAM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) Got the same email. Very sorry to see it end. But the corps had a wonderful run. The best one-performance corps in the business. Thanks to Brian Gochenour, who talked me into suiting up after I spent the first few years as a "roadie" helping my wife Barbara and the rest of the pit set up stuff, I got the chance to be part of a pit percussion ensemble for the first ( and probably only...LOL) time in my life. And I must say... for a part-time ensemble, it was a #### good one. Even with me occasionally mangling a piece of equipment. My fellow pit-crew members.... all great people, and I had a blast hanging out with them. Rehearsals, show days... always fun. Even had a chance to play some golf (Par 3 course near the York show site) with my pit partner in crime Paul Geiger. The two oldest people in the pit... out there teeing it up at 9 AM on show days. Then listening to the youngsters in the corps talk about how long a day it was for them. So.... thanks, Brian... and thank you to the Westshoremen for welcoming me as part of their family. Edited March 30, 2016 by Fran Haring 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Got the same email. Very sorry to see it end. But the corps had a wonderful run. The best one-performance corps in the business. Thanks to Brian Gochenour, who talked me into suiting up after I spent the first few years as a "roadie" helping my wife Barbara and the rest of the pit set up stuff, I got the chance to be part of a pit percussion ensemble for the first ( and probably only...LOL) time in my life. And I must say... for a part-time corps, it was a #### good one. Even with me occasionally mangling a piece of equipment. My fellow pit-crew members.... all great people, and I had a blast hanging out with them. Rehearsals, show days... always fun. Even had a chance to play some golf (Par 3 course near the York show site) with my pit partner in crime Paul Geiger. The two oldest people in the pit... out there teeing it up at 9 AM on show days. Then listening to the youngsters in the corps talk about how long a day it was for them. So.... thanks, Brian... and thank you to the Westshoremen for welcoming me as part of their family. I'm just surprised you never grabbed a horn..... Tell Mr. Geiger I said "Hey Weasel!" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fran Haring Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 My horn-playing days are long gone...and they ain't coming back!!! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Sounds like my "serious" drumming days...I can't even last 10-15 minutes on my set anymore. (and trying to read music? no way!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigW Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Not surprised this happened. I wish they would have been clear from the start this was the last performance, I may have decided differently, but frankly, I don't regret staying clear this year at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 I didn't get the email. The possibility of this was used as a guilt maneuver to get me to play, which I refused. I have seen the corps fold in 72, 84, 94, 98, 2001, and now 2016 since birth. After processing and a huge post on here to follow, my conclusion is unless someone has the time, desire and money to run it like a successful business, it's time to put it to bed. Goodbye (again) the corps that led to my birth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 I didn't get the email. The possibility of this was used as a guilt maneuver to get me to play, which I refused. I have seen the corps fold in 72, 84, 94, 98, 2001, and now 2016 since birth. After processing and a huge post on here to follow, my conclusion is unless someone has the time, desire and money to run it like a successful business, it's time to put it to bed. Goodbye (again) the corps that led to my birth I'm still puzzled why someone just didn't either pick up a full time corps, or even a full time alumni? The fact that it was a successful "once every concert season" thing just made no sense...but ok... Is that indoor guard still going? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 Ben the option to do parades or other shows was brought up many times..... Membership didn't want to do it. No way old strap a drum on for even a 2 block parade anymore. The Westshoremen A guard and Sr Guard still compete in TIA. In fact the seniors finally beat The Guard, an off shoot of the Classics from Allentown family this month for the first time ever. Ironically The Guard started with mainly members of Westshores guard in the 90's. There was a rift about 8 years ago and people split to start Westshore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaminbenb Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Ben the option to do parades or other shows was brought up many times..... Membership didn't want to do it. No way old strap a drum on for even a 2 block parade anymore. The Westshoremen A guard and Sr Guard still compete in TIA. In fact the seniors finally beat The Guard, an off shoot of the Classics from Allentown family this month for the first time ever. Ironically The Guard started with mainly members of Westshores guard in the 90's. There was a rift about 8 years ago and people split to start Westshore There's always the 37th Regiment! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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