As one of my former students, Marlyn Strickland, now a band director and a former participant with the Madison Scouts drum corps, wrote earlier: the Madison Scouts are in the house!

And, are they ever!

They arrived in Kettering sometime yesterday afternoon and spent a good number of hours practicing on our backfield with the marching band practices at the high school. There was a great deal of excitement generated around the high schools campus.

At 8:30 PM, Sunday evening, the Madison Scouts put on a special performance for the citizens of Kettering and others. One of the most beautiful moments I believe I have ever witnessed in 33 years of watching drum Corps, was when the Madison Scouts saying, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Only last week, as Flyer was beginning her final journey, one of the Fairmont percussion instructors, Jeff Brooks, sent me a link to the video of the Madison Scouts singing this song. Last night, their performance of this beautiful Rodgers and Hammerstein classic was not sad, but very uplifting, and extremely reassuring.

This morning, as I sit on my deck enjoying breakfast in the cool breeze blowing from the south, the neighborhood is alive with the sound of marching band and drum corps. I can hear the metallic click of the metronome from the back fields of the high school where I presume the marching band is practicing.

The Madison Scouts buses, trucks and vans have taken over the front parking lot. By 7 AM, the long tables were set up for the breakfast line. Some of the marchers are enjoying breakfast on the front lawn, some are walking and talking, and a good many others are enjoying a morning jog around our beautiful Kettering neighborhoods. Having had so many connections to drum corps throughout the past 33 years, I am happy hour school and marching band open the doors for these young athletic musicians, and that we have a comfortable, beautiful and homey community for them to experience.

A big shout out to all my many friends throughout the years, and current and former students who dedicate many weekends of the spring, and their entire summers to these great adventures on the marching field with Drum Corps International. All too often our remarkable athletes and spectacular Olympians receive so much laud and praise for their talents, endurance and victories, however, each summer thousands of music athletes and Olympians take to the field with many DCI ensembles. It is all work; many grueling hours in the hot sun, sleeping on gym floors or in buses, not showering every day, constant practices every chance they get. But, what a vast amount of memories, friendships and a renewal to their foundation in the spirit of dedication, persistence, work ethic, and their passion for music and marching.

God bless all these young musicians for all their work each summer.