Corps Hall - 6730 Bay Rd. -
Saginaw, MI 48604
(517) 791-4431 - naurora@MailandNews.com
- http://welcome.to/northernaurora
Paul Keiser, Co-chair - 23116 Pilgrim - Hazel Park, MI 48030
(248) 691-0320 - Murgaty@aol.com
Diana Cook, Co-chair/Webmistress - (419) 352-7283 - di@angelfire.com
Greetings,
Alumni! Things are really
starting to snowball with the Saginaires Youth Organization
and optimism is quickly spreading throughout the drumcorps
community about Northern Aurora's inevitable return to the
field. Word of the corps' alumni revival is spreading. I
have personally received inquiries from drumcorps fans
throughout the state who are eager to help in any way they
can! There is no doubt
that this organization is again rising like a phoenix from
the ashes and is destined for glory again. Much of this,
however, will depend on you, the alumni. In this issue
you'll learn about upcoming events, projects, and
fund-raisers, all of which are planned with fun as the
primary goal and fundraising as a secondary but very
important goal. All of these activities will depend on your
participation to make them successful! So come on out and
join us for some (or all) of our upcoming events! They
promise to be a great time and worth the trip! Hope to see
you this summer! Sincerely, 2nd
Annual Saginaires Alumni Picnic Planning on or
thinking about going to the DCI Midwest show in Toledo?
Here's a bit more incentive: The Second Annual Alumni Picnic
will be held in Toledo on Saturday, July 24th, just before
the show! Here's a great chance to catch up on old friends,
make some new ones, and get hyped up for what promises to be
a GREAT show! The picnic will
begin at 3pm at Ottawa Park in Toledo, less than a mile
northeast of the Stadium and right across from the Toledo
Hospital. If you need directions, see the Northern Aurora
webpage at http://welcome.to/northernaurora. You can also
call the Toledo City Parks Dept. at (419)
936-2872. The cost is $7 per
person (to help defray food costs), but if we get
twenty-five people to attend, we may be able to get a group
discount on tickets! An RSVP to Paul Keiser or Diana Cook is
greatly appreciated, but not required. See you in
Toledo! Saginaires
Alumni Ensemble Forming Miss performing?
Enjoy hanging out with fellow drumcorps fans? Don't have the
time for a competitive senior corps? Check out the
Saginaires Alumni Ensemble! We are looking for
a few people who enjoy playing to start a performing group.
The goal is to help raise money, increase exposure, and gain
support for the Saginaires Youth Organization and its
ensembles, while at the same time providing the alumni with
an opportunity to stay involved with the organization in a
fun and rewarding way. This ensemble will
not be a drumcorps, per se; it will participate in parades,
festivals, and perhaps an independent concert or two, but
incorporate no field drill. Instrumentation will be
drumcorps style, using the corps' three-valved G bugles and
possibly concert percussion. Membership is open to anyone
who wants to join, regardless of age or previous corps
affiliation. There is no financial obligation (with the
possible exception of purchasing a "uniform" T-shirt and
hat), little time commitment, and no salesperson will visit
you. The first
rehearsal and meeting of the ensemble was on Sunday, July
11th at the corps hall, and all who attended were excited
about performing again. The next rehearsal will be sometime
in late August to September. If you're interested in picking
up a drum, flag, or bugle again and having some fun with old
(and new) friends, drop a line to Paul
Keiser at
the number or e-mail above. Please include your name, years
marched, instrument or equipment, and preferred weekend
dates for the next rehearsal. First
Work Day/Barbecue a Success! On Saturday, June
12, alumni from Northern Aurora, Saginaires Eagles,
Saginaires, and Northcoast Academy Winterguard all met at
the corps hall for an afternoon of food, fun, and yes, even
work. Much of the
afternoon was spent clearing out the upstairs storage area.
It was much like rummaging through grandma's attic. Every
few minutes someone would shout, "Oh wow! I remember these
flags!" or "I remember the show this trophy came from!" When
the alumni finally decided to break for lunch, there was a
pile of old guard equipment, drums, horns, and dusty old
trophies dating back to the first years of the
corps. Inventory was
started on what equipment was left and, thankfully, all but
a few horns are accounted for. Most of the old guard
costumes and equipment were salvageable and may be reused in
future corps or winterguard shows. The uniforms need a good
cleaning, but are mostly in good shape. After working for
a few hours, lunch was served. Hungry alumni feasted on
potato salad, burgers, bratwurst, chips, pop, etc.,
(apologies to the vegetarians -- veggieburgers are on the
next shopping list), and everyone sat and chatted about old
come-from-behind victories, rainy parades, potato-head
judges, and 'shortcuts' that took an extra 3
hours. At the end of the
day the alumni met to decide the next steps for the
organization and plan upcoming events. Overall, quite a lot
was accomplished and, despite the heat, a good time was had
by all. The next Alumni
Work Day/Barbecue is set for July 31st at 1pm and promises
to be even more fun and productive with more alumni
participating. See you there! Want a
piece of Saginaires History? During the recent
cleanup of the corps hall, the piles of old trophies were
assembled, and it was discovered that we have a heluva lot
of old trophies! Many will go into a trophy case, but
keeping all of these trophies, many of which are showing
their years, is rather impractical. Therefore, the call goes
out to alumni! Rather than simply
throw these priceless pieces of drum corps memorabilia away,
we are asking you, the alumni, if you want 'em! Trophies
from as far back at the 60's are available to you!
Come
by the corps hall for one of our upcoming events and hunt
for a trophy from your favorite show or parade! A voluntary
donation is requested. Help the Saginaires and take home a
piece of your history! DCI
Live Broadcast Party! On Saturday,
August 14th, PBS will be broadcasting the second half of the
Drum Corps International World Championships from Madison,
WI! This being such a rare event (hopefully less so in the
years to come), the Saginaires Alumni Association will be
hosting a DCI Finals party at the corps hall! Come see DCI's
best and brightest on the BIG screen with old friends -- and
meet some new ones! Just before the broadcast, we will show
videos of past Saginaires groups' performances and maybe
some DCI Finals from years past. Come join in the fun! (Be
sure to pledge your support to your local PBS station during
the broadcast to ensure its return! The SAA will do our best
to have handy the numbers of Michigan PBS
stations.) The festivities
will begin at 7pm, Saturday, August 14, and refreshments
will be served. The admission is $10 (to cover the TV rental
and food). An RSVP to the Corps Hall, Paul
Keiser, or
Diana
Cook is
appreciated, but not required. See you there!
Paul D. Keiser (Bari 90-94)
Co-chair, Saginaires Alumni Association