Saginaires Alumni Association Newsletter

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, Paul D. Keiser (Bari 90-94) Co-chair, Saginaires Alumni Association

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!

Northern Aurora index
Saginaires Alumni Association index