The performance experience was great! The kids are still talking about it. When we stepped on to Constitution Avenue; the crowd was cheering, the cameras were rolling, and a huge American Flag was waving. We all had goose bumps and felt like we were a part of something great, a part of history.
It was a great experience overall and I will gladly serve as a reference for this event and for Music Celebrations.
George Tepshich, Band Director
Shaler Area High School
The parade was awesome!! They even provided emergency water for our kids. I really appreciated that. The crowd was surreal and it was really professional. The parade was the best part of the trip.
I think Music Celebrations is very organized and professional!! Every question and concern that I had was answered and in a promptly manner. I thought the quality of the facility was great and the tour guide was also really well prepared.
Juan Mendoza, Band Director
Perth Amboy High School
I was very pleased with everything - transportation, hotel, meals & tour escorts. The parade was great! Just the right length. And the audience was awesome! We loved their response to our “Jive” section in our cadence where we did fancy foot and bodywork. The organization in the assembly area was very much appreciated!
My personal highlight was the parade. I got teary eyed as we marched past the Washington Monument. The kids also enjoyed the parade and the audience response. They enjoyed all the sights and the Smithsonian Museums. They really enjoyed watching the precision of the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the unknown Soldier in Arlington.
It was a wonderful band trip and I will gladly serve as a reference for Music Celebrations if any bands are considering this experience.
Cindy Scheid, Director
Youngsville High School Band
DC was great! I so appreciate how well organized all of the events were. Mariann, our tour guide, was awesome! The bus service and drivers were also great. Our accommodations were perfect. Everyone had a great time. I will definitely recommend the National Memorial Day Parade and Music Celebrations to other bands for future travel. Thanks so much for making it all so easy!
It’s going to be very hard to express the full appreciation our band and parents have for the opportunity we have had through Music Celebrations International. This experience has been truly exceptional. From the very beginning of the planning stages, we commend you for your impeccable assistance, your willingness to make every part of our trip the absolute very best it could possibly be. Our hats are off to you and our horns are raised to you!!;);)
Your enthusiasm and professionalism were more than I could have asked for. Thank you for working with me one on one and making the necessary changes needed throughout the months we worked so closely on this trip together. I could always depend on you responding by email and phone calls almost instantly to my request. That kind of service is unheard of. I have planned several class trips over the years working with travel agents and program coordinators, and I have never experienced anything close to what was provided by you and the MCI staff.
While in the parade staging area we were greeted by more than one member of MCI and somehow, your company has hired so many people who truly love their jobs. Everyone was very accommodating and ready to do anything to assist us. What a great organization of people!
The Memorial Day Parade itself was an honor in so many ways. While at the staging area, we were approached by parade spectators, who wanted to know our story. We visited with Veterans from WWII and the Korean war who were located near our staging area. We were photographed by a freelance photographer from Maryland who found our small town story very interesting. He asked if our students realized what an honor it is to be a part of the National Memorial Day Parade. He said, this parade is second only to the Inauguration Parade for the President of the United States. The whole parade experience was absolutely incredible and all of us will have a lifetime of memories made possible by MCI, our United States Senator Byron Dorgan, who nominated us, and our students’ hard work as a marching band.
If you ever need a reference for another school who is considering a trip planned by MCI please forward them to me. I will be more than happy to share our satisfaction with our association to you.
Once again, THANK YOU from “The Small but MIGHTY Eskimo Marching Band” of Bowbells High School, Bowbells, North Dakota.
Americans Asked to Pause at 3:00 P.M. on May 25 To Observe National Moment of Remembrance
WASHINGTON, May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The White House Commission on Remembrance today announced highlights of activities that will unfold across the country at 3:00 p.m. local time on May 25 as Americans pause to remember the nation’s fallen heroes. The President, in his Memorial Day Proclamation, will call on Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance. Observances include: Major League Baseball games will stop, the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C. will halt, Amtrak trains will blow their whistles, Buglers Across America will play “Taps,” and the National Grocers Association and Food Marketing Institute will ask shoppers to pause in stores nationwide to remember our fallen. Join them and millions of others in observing the Moment at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.
Citizens are asked to pause, wherever they may be for the Moment, and reflect on the sacrifices made for our freedoms, and commit to Live Honoring America’s Fallen.
“We want our citizens to contemplate the ties that bind us and take a moment to put ‘Memorial’ back into Memorial Day!” said Carmella LaSpada, the Commission’s Director.
The Moment is a new American tradition–a time to renew the values upon which America was founded, to commit to serving our country, and reflect on the history of sacrifices made for freedom.
The Moment was created by the Commission after its Director asked a group of children visiting our Nation’s Capitol, “What is the meaning of Memorial Day?” Their reply was, “It’s the day the pools open.” Their innocent response, combined with a Gallup Poll that revealed that only 28% of Americans know the true meaning of this holiday, launched the National Moment of Remembrance.
About The White House Commission on Remembrance
The White House Commission on Remembrance was established by Congress on December 28, 2000 in the Remembrance Act, Public Law 101-579, to honor America’s fallen and their families and to unite the country in the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day.
For Additional Information contact:
Carmella LaSpada
202 783-4665
commission@remember.gov
The Grand Marshals of the 2008 National Memorial Day Parade – decorated service members from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom along with Honorary Marshal Gary Sinise.
Actor Gary Sinise will once again participate in the National Memorial Day Parade. Well-known for playing Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump, he currently plays Mac Taylor in CBS’s CSI: New York. Mr. Sinise is very active in supporting our troops. He has made three trips to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. Mr. Sinise is the co-founder of Operation Iraqi Children with Laura Hillenbrand. The American Veterans Center looks forward to him joining us once again this year.
Participation in the National Memorial Day Parade was the highlight of the trip for many. This is a true life experience for the students. Five out of five stars! Wonderful! I was impressed with the speed at which the elements were added to the parade. I truly did not think we would be in the parade by 3 and we almost finished by 3.
My personal highlight was seeing the new Air Force Memorial and being able to look out over DC at night from its base. The students had many different highlights, it would be difficult to narrow it down, but the parade was great and many will have fantastic memories for years to come.
The students enjoyed the sites they were able to tour. Driving by and pointing out sites is fine, and it is understandable given the density of sites in Washington, that choices have to be made. I heard many students say that they would like to go back personally some day and see more. That is why I take groups to DC, as Americans we need to know what is in our Capital!
I will absolutely be a reference for MCI and the National Memorial Day Parade!
In previous years, the families spent Memorial Day at barbecues and pool openings. Yesterday, they sat in folding chairs in the shade of a tent at a grassy cemetery dotted with small American flags to honor 10 loved ones with Maryland ties killed in the past year in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Right now, we’d be sitting at home, trying to enjoy the holiday,” said Danny Craig of Earleville, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. His son, Cpl. Brandon M. Craig, 25, was killed in July in Iraq.
“We didn’t know anything about the Army when Brandon joined,” said Mary Jane Craig, who wore her son’s dog tags. “It opens your eyes. It’s a totally different ballgame. We learned so much about our country, Iraq, everything.”
Memorial Day began as a way to recognize troops killed during the Civil War and was expanded after World War I to recognize service members killed in all U.S. wars. With the death tolls in Iraq and Afghanistan increasing, the holiday is also a time to honor troops fighting and dying in current conflicts.
In the Washington region, several ceremonies and concerts, a parade and a rally by Rolling Thunder motorcyclists paid tribute to the fallen troops over the weekend.
Yesterday, President Bush joined visitors on a warm morning at Arlington National Cemetery, where he continued the annual tradition of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Bush recognized all of the troops who died defending the United States and particularly those who lost their lives in the past year.
Wreaths also were laid at the Air Force and Navy memorials.
In the afternoon, 10 blocks of Constitution Avenue NW were closed for the National Memorial Day Parade, which featured marching bands and military units.
Once there were 4.7 million doughboys, the jaunty youngsters in American uniform during World War I. Now there is only Cpl. Frank Woodruff Buckles, born on a farm in Missouri more than 107 years ago.
Buckles, of Charles Town, W.Va., is planning a return to Missouri for the Memorial Day weekend ceremonies at Liberty Memorial in Kansas City.
The memorial, overlooking downtown, was dedicated to the Great War in 1921. It expanded two years ago to include the National World War I Museum.
Buckles was born on Feb. 1, 1901, near Bethany in northwestern Missouri. His family moved to Oklahoma when he was 15. One year later, he lied about his age to enlist in the Army and made it to France during the war as an ambulance driver.
In February, he became the last doughboy after another Missouri native, Harry Landis, died in Florida at age 108. Landis had grown up on a farm north of Hannibal.
The last French veteran of World War I died in March. Germany’s last veteran of that war died in January. Only about a dozen veterans worldwide are known to be alive.
to read more, view the article in it’s entirety here
Methuen High School’s Ranger Band picked up some cash from the police yesterday.
The patrolmen’s union donated $500 to the band, which is headed to Washington, D.C., to perform next month.
The Ranger Band will represent Massachusetts in the National Memorial Day Parade on May 26. It is the only high school band in the state to garner that distinction this year.
On Saturday, the band parents association held a giant yard sale and a baked goods sale to raise money for the trip.
Then, yesterday afternoon, union president and Patrolman Joseph Aiello handed the $500 check to band members. The police then played softball with a variety of hefty professional contenders. Union members faced off against retired Boston Bruins, New England Patriots and Red Sox.
A baseball clinic for kids was held before the game.
COCOA - The American Veteran’s Color Guard has drawn salutes, applause and appreciation from spectators at the parades and special events it has participated in since the group formed in 2001.
Often along parade routes, different generations of veterans will rise, stand at attention and salute as the group marches by.
“One thing you’ll see a lot when we’re in the parades is people coming out in front of us to take pictures,” said Gary Cassell, who co-founded the group with George Hoggard.
The nation’s Capitol will play host to some high-stepping strutters when the Dearborn High School marching band takes to the streets during the annual Memorial Day parade.
It’s a big job — the band was selected to represent Michigan in the parade.
While they’re there, the band will attend a concert at the Navy Memorial, visit the Smithsonian Museum, the Supreme Court and will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony before the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery.
To help defray expenses — band supporters said it would cost about $600 per student to travel to Washington, D.C. — a series of fundraisers was organized to get the band on the road.
Here’s an excerpt from an article titled “One of the last” that was published in yesterday’s edition of the Grand Forks Herald.
At age 106, [Frank] Buckles is believed to be one of only three living American veterans of World War I, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
“For many years, I would read the figures in The Torch (a veterans magazine) in two columns - one was the number of 4.7 million-something veterans who served, and the other, which kept going down, was the number of us that were still alive,” Buckles said in an interview earlier this year. “I knew one day it would come to this. But I didn’t think I would be one of the few still around to talk about it.”
Buckles is the youngest of the three known living U.S. World War I veterans. When interviewed earlier this year, his voice was raspy, he had difficulty walking and he needed help getting dressed each morning. But his mind was keen, and the memories of his two years in Europe during the war remained clear.
Buckles said he doesn’t mind all the attention. It’s a salute to his generation, and he just happens to be the only one of his contemporaries available to take a bow. But he said he is a bit concerned over whether he is the right guy for the parade.
“What are you supposed to do when you lead a parade?” Buckles asked.
Besides Buckles, the VA has identified the only other living World War I veterans as Harry Landis, a 107-year-old living in Sun City Center, Fla., and Russell Coffey, a 109-year-old in North Baltimore, Ohio.
It has been a few weeks since our trip to D.C. We would like to thank you for working with the Stephenson High School Band during our special National Memorial Day Parade in D.C. Thanks for such a professional job that you guys displayed for our students and parents. We truly appreciate you! As you could see from the photos, our students had a life long weekend of work, sightseeing and fun.
We look forward to another opportunity such as this one.
Words cannot express my appreciation for the hard work and organization of Music Celebrations International in making our trip to Washington, D.C. so enjoyable and memorable. It was such an honor to be involved (in the Parade) with so many outstanding bands from across the country. This will be an unforgettable, and possibly, a life changing event in the lives of many young people who were involved in this important event in the history of our country as we celebrate and honor ‘The Greatest Generation’. Thank you again for allowing us to be a part of this (Parade), and to represent our school, community, and our great state of Oklahoma!
Performing at the WWII Memorial was really special, as was the wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Both were events that my students will never forget. The parade was good - other than the extreme heat. The thing that made the whole tour work was our Tour Guide. He was absolutely outstanding. He was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly and entertaining to the kids. His help was invaluable throughout our time in DC. The hotel and meals were excellent. I was very pleased with how everything was set up for us.
Marching in the National Memorial Day Parade was an enjoyable and memorable experience. It is a tough call to name one highlight – all of us were really moved by the wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown in Arlington Cemetery, the concert in front of the Capitol, and the parade itself. There were lots of tears from most of our group! Really, everyone got a lot out of the whole trip. Adults and students alike were very impressed.
I was very pleased with the parade. The event was very well organized and the parade officials were there when we needed help. My personal highlight was that while we were playing I looked across the band and saw the White House. I should have briefly stopped the band to have them look around and enjoy the sights during the parade.
The Music Celebrations staff was very organized and prompt in answering my questions throughout the planning process. The onsite staff was very helpful as well. They made sure they introduced themselves to us and made sure we had everything we needed.
I am looking forward to working with Music Celebrations again. I have already recommended MCI to several of my friends for their upcoming trips.
Troy Cronkhite, Director
Smithville High School Warrior Pride Marching Band
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