2012 Summer Season

We were able to be part of two wonderful and meaningful Memorial Day programs, and enjoyed again leading the Memorial Day Parade. Now we're ready to begin our summer season of park concerts.

Tuesday, June 12, we begin our 10 weekly concerts at Kollen Park - every Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. This summer we have a lot of new music to share, several special soloists, and we're working on a big finish for our last concert on August 14.

So bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the music as you enjoy the view and breezes of Lake Macatawa!

A New Season!

Spring is almost here (even though we've already had "summer-like" weather in mid-March!)  That means it's time for us to begin our rehearsals for this season's concerts and parades. The second week in April we begin our rehearsals to learn new music for the summer season, along with some marching practice for the annual Tulip Time and Memorial Day Parades in May.

The Tulip Time Parade is May 12, and Memorial Day acrtivities will include a community program on Sunday evening, May 27, and the ususal parade and ceremony at the cemetery on Monday, May 28.
Then our summer programs begin on June 12, with 10 weeks of Tuesday evening concerts at Kollen Park overlooking Lake Macatawa.

It's always exciting to begin a new season!

Closer to Home

It's been a busy time since we got home from Hawaii (and definitely much colder!) Christmas and New Year's gatherings gave us a chance to share our experiences with family and friends. This week-end members from the trip are also gathering for a little social time of sharing stories and photos from the trip.  
But the band's next event is to honor those closer to home. Every year the band does a concert at the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, a facility of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. It's always an honor to play for the residents there, and to chat briefly with many of them following our concert.

Grand Rapids Home for Veterans
on Monroe Avenue NE in Grand Rapids, MI

Then we set our sights on Tulip Time, Memorial Day and our summer programs on Tuesdays in Kollen Park, continuing the tradition of providing concerts for the community since 1920!

More Photos

Some additional photos from our week on Oahu....

Sunday visit to the North Shore - small waves that day.

Lunch!

Waialua Concert

Umm.....let me explain that Michigan shaped like a mitten thing again.

Tuesday morning visit to the Arizona Memorial

Our Color Guard Presenting At the Arizona Memorial

Ron Geers Plays Taps on the Arizona Memorial - what
an emotional moment for all.

Author of the book "At Dawn We Slept"
("At Dawn They Slept" was the name of one of the pieces we played.)

At the Battleship Missouri on Tuesday, December 6



Flag raising No. 1 on the Missouri as the band played below.
For the Willard G. Leenhouts American Legion Post No. 6.

Guest Conductor Bobi from the Missouri

Flag raising No. 2 while the band is playing.
For the City of Holland.

On the deck of the USS Missouri - the location where the Japanese
signed the surrender document to officially end WW II.





Touring the "Mighty Mo" after our performance.

On to Tripler Army Medical Center for our next performance.

We got rained on at Tripler.....but at least it wasn't snow!

Tripler's beautiful Christmas decorations.

Another early breakfast and away we go again - to the
Pacific Aviation Museum on December 7th - PEARL HARBOR DAY!

A flyover at the tower ceremony. WW II vintage.

Nancy sings the National Anthem.

Armed Forces Salute with a VERY Special guest Color Guard!

Brass & Piccolos out front for the Stars & Stripes Forever.

Reliving history in the museum.

Thursday morning, December 8 - raising the flag at the
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific while the band
played the Star Spangled Banner. What an honor!





Many names of WW II, Korean & Viet Nam War service
men and women on the walls above.

 The National Commander of the American Legion was there to
place a wreath......

...with assistance from the Color Guard from our own
Willard G. Leenhouts American Legion Post 6.

The Stars and Stripes Forever finale on
the steps of this magnificent cemetery.

This was our last performance of the trip.

A little Luau R & R to celebrate a great week of performances.

Christmas spirit...Hawaiian style.

Last minute shopping near the hotel.....

...and to the airport for the trip home.
What an amazing week!



Home again!

It's Monday, December 12.....how did the week go by so fast? We had a safe trip home, leaving warm sunny Honolulu Saturday afternoon, and arriving in dark, cold, snowy Detroit at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday (there's a 5 hour time difference.) A bit of a shock to get off the plane and see our breath and have to watch out for icy spots on the pavement.

What an amazing and rewarding week. We'll add some photos over the next several days as we do some downloading, but just to sum up briefly........

We had a great week, enjoyed the warm weather, had fun, but the real reason we went can probably be best summed up with this one photo taken on December 7th at the Pacific Aviation Museum's ceremony for the control tower.........

We went to honor those who were there 70 years ago.