Corps Helping Each Other

[tommytimp]

1985. Our tractor broke down outside Canton. The Bluecoats' tractor pulled our semi to the stadium. So, just for honor's sake, we let them beat us at every show in 86 and let them make finals in 87. It was only fair.

[Lancerlady]

Star of Indiana was a great help to 27th during the 1986 season. Lancerlady can tell you the whole story.

Yeah we've discussed this before but I don't mind sharing it, I love the story and it's a great story of friendship.

We had just left the Allentown Pa. show and we had the best show of the year (imo)...and we were headed to the Bloomington Indiana Show. (Star's show) Well, along the way one of the buses broke down. I remember falling asleep on the side of the road somewhere in between and waking up hours later only to find we were still in the same place. What was supposed to be a 14 hour trip turned out to be a 24 hour road trip from hades. ^0^

Anyway, we piled up folks from the bus that broke down onto the other two buses and then the food truck broke down. Everything started falling apart. I seem to remember our equipment truck breaking down cause we were all scurrying around getting our equipment that we needed for the show. Uniform parts and horns etc...it was wild. We had called ahead to let the coordinators of the show know that we were going to be late for the line up. Star in their graciousness decided we could go on last. We finally made it to the show, all piled up on one bus with our horns, parts of uniforms missing etc..It was total chaos. We had finally made it and in the nick of time. We had not eaten, showered, gone to the bathroom or anything. We went directly to warm up. We entered the field like broken down soldiers, battered from the road. But we had enough savvy to get the job done. We performed and none of our formations clicked or anything. It was the worst show of the year. I mean we had just gone through an awful ordeal. But it didn't matter because we were just glad that we made it through the show, cause that was the mystique of being a 27th Lancer "Nobody ever said it was easy to be a 27th Lancer", was really the truth in this instance. (I have seen the tape it was pretty bad).

So Bill Cook came by and offered us some dinner and we went to eat with Star, (which was fine with me since they were probably having steak that night). :P (Coming from someone who lived off of Pb& J and "pasta", that was awesome). Then he loaned us some buses. I remember getting on the bus and thinking "wow Air condition and room to move my legs". I was in heaven on that bus. We made it to Madison Wisc. I remember we stayed at some dorms there.

So after missing finals by 2/10ths of a point, on the hill in Madison Wisc., the 27th Lancers folded. We took a banner through the crowd at finals that read "We gave it our best" (and I can't remember it all). We were all sobbing hysterically carrying the banner. Then we met with Star in the parking lot after their performance to thank them for what they did for us. And in a gesture that touches me to this day, some of the age outs offered to take our shoes, socks spats of those of us who were aging out and they formed a "27" in our honor at retreat. We all hugged in the parking lot in circle formation and sang "Danny Boy" together at the top of our lungs in the parking lot.

George B. and Bill Cook are dear friends to this date. I will always love Star for what they did for us.

On a side note, I remember seeing the 1989 show and crying at DCI South. I was told that was a tribute show to us. When I found out alot of staff from 27 were there that year I could see that.

Edited November 24, 2006 by Lancerlady

[keith]

I remember that nightmare trip. i was one of the lucky ones I got to ride in one of the parents who were following us on tour in their camper. There were about 10 of us we went ahead of the buses and actually got to stop and eat.

I remember as soon as we got there we put on our uniforms did a 5 min warm up and went on the field and boy did we suck that night.

And steph it was 1985 that we stayed in the dorms in 86 we stayed in a high school. but that air conditioned bus was nice to ride on for the last few weeks of tour

[MsBusDriver]

Last Summer, I drove for the Spokane Thunder an up and coming Div III Corps. We were staying in Auburn OR at the local Jr High. Right across the street at the HS was SCV.

After the show in Salem, one of our buses wouldn't start. I had no hesitation in asking Jeff Pearson if there was room on the 3 SCV buses to squeeze our kids on. Without hesitation, he said "Of course!". So after introducing him to Thunders Director, Ron Crenshaw, we told the kids they would be riding with SCV back to the school. The look on their faces is something I'll always remember, they couldn't move fast enough to get off our bus and get onto SCVs.

When we pulled into the school, I could swear that those kids were walking 3 feet in the air when they stepped off those buses, talking a mile a minute... "That was So COOL!", "Oh my GOD, I can't believe we rode on SCVs buses!", " I can't wait to tell my MOM!" and my favorite, "They weren't stuck up at ALL!!".

The rest of the West Coast tour we remained with SCV and there were many other "little" things that they did for us. I am so proud of "My" Corps and how they showed the Thunder kids that it doesn't matter whether you're a little Div III Corps, or an established Div I Champion. We're all in this together and we're here to get all of us down the road and to the next contest. That's the best first lesson any marching member should learn.

Gail would be proud...

[Lancerlady]

I remember that nightmare trip. i was one of the lucky ones I got to ride in one of the parents who were following us on tour in their camper. There were about 10 of us we went ahead of the buses and actually got to stop and eat.

I remember as soon as we got there we put on our uniforms did a 5 min warm up and went on the field and boy did we suck that night.

And steph it was 1985 that we stayed in the dorms in 86 we stayed in a high school. but that air conditioned bus was nice to ride on for the last few weeks of tour

Lucky you! :P I remember I had to go to the ladies room so bad and marching while having to urinate, is not fun at all! :sshh: We just didn't have the time to go to the bathroom.

As far as 85, yeah sometimes I get my years mixed up. :P lol

Yes we did suck that night, I have seen the tape. I couldn't believe how we could go from having the best show the night before to that! But under the circumstances...I think we only dropped like 2 points or something like that with penalties for being late.

Edited November 24, 2006 by Lancerlady

[kmanv]

We often hear about the big boys helping out those who generally place lower than them (Star/Sky Ryders, Caviues/27 etc) or equals like Spirit/Xmen....but it sometimes goes the other way.

Like in 85 when BD's food truck -- a converteed semi -- burned....taking the battery with it (which had been stored in teh truck for the night for some reason). Only one tenor survived....Velvet Knighs loaned BD their battery until a new set of drums could be obtained....

i remember that... light baby blue drums with bd's dark blue uniforms.. made quite the visual statement. it was always great when corps help each other.

[scott414]

Last Summer, I drove for the Spokane Thunder an up and coming Div III Corps. We were staying in Auburn OR at the local Jr High. Right across the street at the HS was SCV.

After the show in Salem, one of our buses wouldn't start. I had no hesitation in asking Jeff Pearson if there was room on the 3 SCV buses to squeeze our kids on. Without hesitation, he said "Of course!". So after introducing him to Thunders Director, Ron Crenshaw, we told the kids they would be riding with SCV back to the school. The look on their faces is something I'll always remember, they couldn't move fast enough to get off our bus and get onto SCVs.

When we pulled into the school, I could swear that those kids were walking 3 feet in the air when they stepped off those buses, talking a mile a minute... "That was So COOL!", "Oh my GOD, I can't believe we rode on SCVs buses!", " I can't wait to tell my MOM!" and my favorite, "They weren't stuck up at ALL!!".

The rest of the West Coast tour we remained with SCV and there were many other "little" things that they did for us. I am so proud of "My" Corps and how they showed the Thunder kids that it doesn't matter whether you're a little Div III Corps, or an established Div I Champion. We're all in this together and we're here to get all of us down the road and to the next contest. That's the best first lesson any marching member should learn.

Gail would be proud...

excellent post maggie... the line avour wherther you marched in div 2 /3 or a established champion sums it all up. wonderful!!