The Anchor Volume 2 #2 Summer 2016

A publication of the Reading Buccaneer Alumni Association

Combined Buccaneers Drum & Bugle Corps – DCA All-age and Alumni perform the Tony Yaklich arrangement

of “Beyond the Sea” together at Bethany Children’s Home, Womelsdorf, PA on July 22, 2016 Tony White Photo.

From the Crow’s Nest by Rob Danner, B.A.A. V.P.

What a year, what a season! Welcome to The Anchor, the Buccaneer Alumni Association publication

recording the happenings and history of the Buccaneer family. The first thing that comes to mind for me

with 2016 is where the dickens did it go so fast? What I really enjoyed this year was the crossing seas of

the two corps, the competing Bucs and the Buc Alumni, throughout the season. First our dual

appearance at the Twin Valley “Spring Preview,” then just a few weeks later in the West Reading

Armed Forces Day Parade. June and July had us share the stage at the Friends and Family gathering and

again in an extended performance at Bethany Children’s home in Womelsdorf, PA., including the

combined corps “Beyond the Sea” echoing from the South Mountains on July 22th

. What a rush for us

Alumni, we hope the competing members enjoy this as much as we do. Remember to visit us at

www.readingbuccaneersalumni.org for the latest happenings and more memories.

Recognize any of vintage Buccaneer alumni in these rehearsal scenes from the 2016 season. Staff photos.

The Reading Buccaneers – 2016

The end of last year is the beginning of this year for the Bucs. After Black Friday is Blue Saturday Night and

then Membership Sunday. Many worthy awards were handed out to the competing corps 2015 members for

their part in yet another Buccaneer DCA Championship. These performers deserve every bit of it and we need

to recognize this level of achievement in future issues by name. We need a good correspondent from the

competing corps for this publication… Any Volunteers? This year’s Banquet also saw the induction of Bucs

Eric Kitchenman , Dan McGrogan, Lee Deshler and Tom Moore into the Buccaneer Hall of Fame. Speeches

through the evening included some great humor, great memories and some very inspiring words. The night

ended with a great production video wrap-up of the 2015 season and the singing of the Corps Song….

Membership Sunday morning brings the new show to life. 2016 is the year of “ConZENtric – Mind, Body,

Soul” The staff wraps music from composers Ennio Morricone, Eric Whitacre, Imogene Heap, and James

Barnes, along with original compositions from Buc staff arrangers Mark Lortz, Johnny Trujillo and Mike Lalli

around a rich sounding and deeply moving spiritual production including the songs “Gabriel’s Oboe”, “Equus”,

and “Impressions of Japan.” The Buc’s season started at a contest winning score of 84.55, and currently carries

a league leading 95.15 at the Big Sounds home show, leading Cadets 2 by over a point. DCA weekend changed

the outcome of the contests for the first time several years as Cadets 2 won Championships by .7 over Labor

Day weekend. I did not see the championship shows, however to quote one person after seeing the Bucs at Big

Sounds. “It will take a miracle to beat that” Enough said. The Cabs and Bucs were washed out of the Clifton, NJ

show on July 9th

by heavy rain which would have been a 6th

contest. Rain seemed to be a factor several times

this year, also making the Buc’s Classic home show in Landisville, PA rather damp. After a group of Bucs

played the National Anthem for the die-hard crowd, The U.S.Marines Corps Drum & Bugle Corps started the

show with a spectacular performance - as always. .Fortunately (no one can plan these things) the rain let up

when the Bucs came on. It never really gave up and stopped, but the spectators were able to get out from under

the umbrellas and give cheer. More on Big Sounds In Motion, held at Exeter HS on 8/27 and DCA next issue!

Thanks to Chip Bachman – snare drummer, for the Friends and Family day photo. Chip and his companion Lisa Borrell

actually took hundreds of photos that day and I am very thankful he and Lisa shared them with us. I think they captured a

photo of nearly everyone on the property and extended total use of them to us. 874 photos in fact!

2016 Buccaneer Alumni Rewind

Once the Halloween Parades pass by, the Buc’s Alumni get right to the business of the next season. Our first rehearsal

was held on November 20th. We presented a new chart for this season leaving the latest version of “Burke’s Moment” a

combination of the 65-66 kickoff of “Burke’s Law” and “From this Moment On” behind and diving into Jeff Kolb’s

arrangement we call “Hawk-Joy-Dance.” As it implies, this is a medley starting out with a segment of “Sea Hawk”

drifting in and out of the “Russian Sailor Dance” while featuring a touching strain of “Ode to Joy” in the middle of it all.

Other pieces included “Eternal Father,” “Maria,” Our Color Presentation, from “The Longest Day,” “This is My Country”

and the “1812 Overture” medley, Earth,Wind & Fire’s “Fantasy”, “Conquistador” and of course “Beyond the Sea”

April brought something old, something new, as we donned uniforms new to us, but one that has the term championship

to its credit. The Alumni purchased the remaining uniforms retired by the Buccaneers back in 2012 and with some minor

(sometimes major) alterations adopted them as our own. For that, MANY - MANY Thanks go to a team of great people

led by Diane Koenig and Marty Hetherington. Soooo many chipped in on this – I hope I get them all. Doreen and Randy

Mutter, Diane and George Angstadt, John and Norma Sando, John Segnary, Donnie Kline. Wow, I know I am missing

people here - it got difficult to tell who was measuring and who was getting measured, (I hope they were measuring)

Getting the work done and having a good time. Special thanks to Diane K. for organizing and leading the charge. I was

stuck collecting old plumes A tough job, but Randy said someone had to do it,

We presented these uniforms for the first at the Hanover Lancer’s indoor show, our own “Music in the Mountains” show

in Orwigsburg PA in April and again at the Buccaneer’s Spring Preview at Twin Valley HS in May. By the way, the

second annual “Music in the Mountains” was another success, thanks to Dino Myers and Don Kline and everyone one

else who pitched in, including the Blue Mountain High School Band Staff and Boosters. We wore those uniforms in a

couple parades before giving way to “summer” uniforms when it got a little warmer. This year’s summer parades included

the West Reading Armed Forces Day Parade, Wyomissing Hills Memorial Day Parade and the ever popular Wyomissing

Independence Day parade. A few other performances included a standstill concert at the Blue Mountain HS Indoor Guard

Show in March and the aforementioned Bethany Children’s Home and Buc Field’s Friends and Family concert’s with the

Buccaneers. At the Bethany concert both corps were pressed into doing 45 minute performances. Not an easy challenge

when both our shows are based on that 12 to 20 minute allotted show time. The concert turned out a good job by both

corps on a pleasant Friday evening to an appreciative crowd. After the Big Sounds In Motion show, the Alumni

performed a couple more concerts including Leesport Community Days on September 9th, and the Hometown Heroes

Soccer Match at the Exeter High Stadium on 9-11. Lastly as of now we will do a very special private concert at the

Golden Oaks Home on Veteran’s Day, November 11th. It is always great seeing good friends at these events. Fall Parades

include Temple, Topton, Mohnton, Millersville and Robesonia this year. For more information about the Alumni

Association activities and more pictures check www.readingbuccaneeralumni.org

Flashback Photos From a Rehearsal in Palmyra, PA 1972 provided by Eric Kissinger

As you check these photos, like the above, send us a note of who you recognize so we can label them for the future.

Submission of articles and photos or general inquiries of material requirements can be made to Rob Danner 3rd

Sop / V.P.

of the Buccaneer Alumni Association at rldrdg118@aol.com 484-599-0182. The Anchor is delivered electronically to

members of the Buccaneer Alumni Association and our current mailing list. Printed copies are sent to those that are

“computer challenged.” To be included on the Alumni mailing list, or for any other information about the Buccaneer

Alumni Association contact President Randy Mutter at rdmtr@verizon.net or 610- 929-1254 or myself. Yours in Blue