This isn't meant to sound redundant, so I apologize if you feel that you are reading yesterday's post again today. Last evening was the 40th Anniversary of a tremendous accomplishment in the world of the Cavalcade of Bands. The celebration was wonderful, and the magic was obviously evident. Who would have imagined sitting in a world-class stadium on a crisp November evening with lifelong friends and bandmates, watching the video of the championship win on the jumbotron?
The reunion was a tremendous success, thanks to the hard work of the planners. Two of the three original directors were able to join us, and more than a few people commented on the way out of the four hour event that they had somehow forgotten to eat dinner, because they were busy catching up with old friends.
Some of the friends were much older. Debbie Ewer's mom attended, wearing her Abington Band Parents jacket, and looking exactly as she did in 1976. And the band parents of the current Abington band were kind enough to orchestrate the delivery of some of the trophies we won all those years ago, to complement the maroon and white balloons.
You see, bands are so much more than friends. Bands are family.
I was reminded again of this this morning, when I opened Facebook and saw that the annual ACC Pancakes were being made and delivered. While I was a band parent, I engaged in a pancake challenge with Michele Bennett, as we both attempted to be the perfect motivational band moms by making Atlantic Coast Championship pancakes on the morning of the competition, to deliver them as breakfast in bed to our daughters. This tradition officially became a tradition in 2011, when it happened for the second year in a row. The following year was just a bit melancholy for me, as my bandmember had graduated and was living at college.
So that year Michele and I made ACC pancakes and delivered them to all of the newbie band members. It's evident from Judy Barber's assembly line of ACC pancakes (photo above) that the tradition has lasted five years, and will continue, I hope. This morning, Michele presumably made her last batch of in-house pancakes, as her daughter is a senior. Next year, she'll be in delivery only mode. Because that's what band parents do. Kids may graduate, but band parents are always band parents.
Kay Ewer proved that last evening as she dug her Band Parent jacket out of the closet and proudly wore the maroon and white one more time, supporting all of her band kids - even though many of them are grandparents now.
It takes a village to raise a championship band.
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