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I learned that our friend, Marty Sampson, from the California Consolidated Drum Band brought her UMBRELLA all the way from Chico, California to have handy at our muster. She really got hosed a couple of times right here on this Flag Lot. So, I am certain we owe it to this umbrella, that the rains defied all forecasts and gave us a beautiful day for our Muster. .
All of our guests really put on some exceptional performances and it was quite obvious they were having a great time..
Carla, there is no way I can thank you enough for all you did in accommodating the Tittabawasee Valley Fife & Drum Corps. And what a performance they gave us.! I got a video of their entire show as well as the Connecticut Valley Field Music.. Both of these videos are pretty long so I am going to have to figure out a way to get a link on line.
Congratulations to our new members who took the step forward to the drum head and picked up their dollars! That step will, in time, lead you to friendships all over this country and abroad as you attend other muster within the fife & drum community. If you experienced the jam session on the field after the formal presentations were over, you saw fifers and drummers from a lot of corps out there playing traditional tunes together. The best definition I have ever heard of what is happening out there is the title of a poem ... "An Ancient Muster is a gathering thing". I can honestly tell you that except for three people on this planet, the best friends I have, I met on muster fields in my 73 years. I wish you the same good fortune.
. I have a ton of photos and some video which I will get online as soon as possible ... NOT, tonight!
Thanks again.
Bob
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Last Update .......July 26, 2010, at 11:45 P.M. local time in Hampton, Ct. Please note: This page is updated on an almost DAILY basis so check back often for the latest. ![]()
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![]() Just use these handy links to the areas you want to view.
Where and When to See the
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Color Code
Parades & Performances are in Blue
Meetings are in Bright Red
Practices are in Black
Comments are in Green

Sunday,August 1, Practice 6:30...
Sunday, August 8, Executive Committee Meeting.. 5:00 P.M. Sharp
Sunday,August 8, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,August 15, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,August 15, Practice 6:30...
August 28, Westbrook Muster, Parade steps off at 11 A.M.
Sunday,August 29, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,September 5, Practice 6:30...
Saturday, September 11, 2010 Drummer's Call, Olde Sturbriidge Village... All day event with set-up Start 9:30 A.M.
Sunday, September 12, Executive Committee Meeting.. 5:00 P.M. Sharp
Sunday,September 12, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,September 19, Practice 6:30...
Wednesday, Sept 22, 4:00 P.M. ...Nathan Hale Homestead..
Sunday,September 26, Practice 6:30...
Saturday &Sunday,October 2 & 3, Jonathun Trumbull Tercentennial Encampment, Lebanon Green. Details will follow..
Sunday, October 10, Executive Committee Meeting.. 5:00 P.M. Sharp
Sunday,October 10, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,October 17, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,October 24, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,October 31, Practice 6:30...
Sunday,November 7, CT. Veteran's Day Parade ...Arrive by 12:00 NOON NO Practice ...
Sunday, November 14, Executive Committee Meeting..5:00 P.M. Sharp
Sunday,November 14, Practice 6:30...
Sunday, November 21 Special Annual Meeting with the Trustees & Membership
Sunday,December 5, Practice 6:30...
Sunday, December 12, Executive Committee Meeting..
Sunday,October 12, Practice 6:30...

Then, Contact Bob Castillo RIGHT NOW / RIGHT HERE!
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A judging panel selected one winner in each of five categories. Each band will receive a trophy from parade organizers. The winners of the 2009 Connecticut Veterans Day Parade Band Awards are: 1) Frank Falalan Memorial Award For Best Pipe & Drum Corps goes to The Connecticut Firefighter Pipes and Drums Band. 2) Best Fife And Drum Corps Award goes to Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums. 3) Best Middle School Band goes to Hartford Magnet Middle School Marching Band. 4) Best High School Band goes to Rockville High School Band. 5) Best Parade Spirit goes to The University of Connecticut Marching Band. More than 4,000 marchers marched in Sunday's 10th annual "Connecticut Veterans Day Parade" and an estimated 45,000 spectators cheered them on. The event is the largest veterans parade in New England and is one of the largest salutes to veterans in the entire U.S. For more information about the annual Connecticut Veterans Day Parade, go to www.ctveteransdayparade.org or call 860-986-7254. |
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WOW!
Right on the heels of the very successful Connecticut Veteran's Day Parade in Hartford, last Saturday ... We just held one of the best Annual Meetings in recent memory, and we held it in our own Headquarters Building! Our Executive Committee submitted all of their Annual Reports to our re-established Board of Governors/Trustees. Following the Pledge of Allegiance to our Flag, retiring, long-time Board Member, Mr. John Lacek turned over the financial records and documents to their new Treasurer, Ms. Heather Carl of the North Coventry Fire Department. Present also were Mr. Frank Libby of the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association and Mr. David Dutka of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church of Coventry.
I am planning to set up a link to a separate site where I will post the written Annual Reports in my possession, and perhaps the verbal reports from the Secretary's minutes of the meeting.
It was a very moving meeting ending with Three rousing Cheers to our recently departed, Gene Wilson. We shook the rafters with that one! Overall ... The meeting was very positive, upbeat and focused on the road ahead. The afternoon was then topped off with a catered buffet featuring some reallly great food!
For anyone who missed it ... Here is the After-Action Report from the Veteran's Day Parade.
Quoting the news clipping above from the Sunday, Hartford Courant, November 15 ,,, "More than 4,000 marchers marched in Sunday's 10th annual "Connecticut Veterans Day Parade" and an estimated 45,000 spectators cheered them on. The event is the largest veterans parade in New England and is one of the largest salutes to veterans in the entire U.S. "
And guess what, folks? Best Fife And Drum Corps Award went to the Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums.!!!!! We received a very impressive trophy to add to our collection from years past. We will have it on display at our annual meeting this coming Sunday.
Thanks to all for a terrific job at this parade. We did have some serious competition for this award. Other fife & drum units in the parade included the huge and always impressive Mattatuck Drum Corps, The Connecticut Valley Field Music, The champion junior corps, Windsor Junior Ancient Fife & Drum Corps, Westbrook Drum Corps.,, etc.
![]() Stay tuned!
Bob Castillo
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I will keep adding to it throughout the season. If you HAVE a picture or Pictures you would like included just send them to me...

OUR 2009 VIDEOS!!
Please Note: These videos take about two ticks and one tock longer than forever to load onto your machine ...but they are well worth the time. I am sorry they do take so long, but, I had nothing to do with the design of the internet... or your PC for that matter.. You can download the individual clips by right-clicking and choosing to "Save Target As ..." to some place on your own hard drive. By doing so, you can avoid the annoying interruptions that occur while downloading and playing on the fly while online.
2009 Annual Meeting, November 22, 2009
This video shows the Headquarters Building and the setup for the Annual Meeting.
Worcester Columbus Day Parade October 11, 2009
Rebecca crashed ... !! Again ????
What is going on here?
General fun and games before the start of parade. I like the fieretruck "bench"
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire, Septmber 25, 2009
Sudbury Muster and Colonial Faire
Informal Group of Nathan Hale Corps Members
Sudbury Muster and Colonial Faire
Rebecca crashed ... !! trashed ????
What is going on here?
Mark showing the same symptoms as Rebecca!
What was in that cider?????
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire
September 25, 2009
Kentish Guards Entering to Champlain Quick Step
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire
September 25, 2009
Kentish Guards, Performance
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire
September 25, 2009
Kentish Guards Exit playing Pleasures of Spa
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire
September 25, 2009
Grand Replubic and Cap
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire
September 25, 2009
Grand Replubic Finale & Exit
Sudbury Muster & Colonial Faire
September 25, 2009
Scanning the Scene
Drummer's Call at Old Sturbridge Village, Septmber 13, 2009
Sturbridge Village Martial Musicians
Blackstone Valley Martial Musicians
Gabby working the water pump detail.
Our Fire Tender and scenes around our encampment
Peter Emerick, short clip at start of presentation
Peter Emerick, ""The Story of Fife & Drum in New England from the American Revolution to the Present".
(This clip REALLY takes a while to load but it is well worth it.)
Battles, 2009 Encampment, Nathan Hale Homestead
Muster 2009 at the Nathan Hale Homestead
Corps ... All Entering the Field
Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums ... Opening the Muster
Nathan Hale 2009 Stand Piece, Alumni Medley, Marquis of Granby Entrance
Marquis of Granby Jr. Ancient Fyfe & Drum Corps, Windsor JR Ancient F&DC Entrance
The rest of Windsor F&DC Performance
Colchester Continentals,CT Valley Field Music, Sailing Masters of 1812

Westbrook 2009 Muster
Geese Eaters from Basel Switzerland playing first Medley
Geese Eaters from Basel Switzerland playing second Medley
Geese Eaters from Basel Switzerland playing third Medley
The Ancient Mariners Friday Night Tattoo 2009
The Old Guard, U.S.Army 3rd Infantry. Saturday 2009 Performance

Miscellaneous Clips
F-Troop, Deep River Ancient Muster 2009, Clip #1
The "Troop", Playing York Fusiliers.
This clip and the next one give a pretty good example of "What the heck is an F-Troop? " Answer: members of all different corps who have just marched the parade with their own units, running back to the beginning of the parade route and now massed together playing "traditional tunes".
F-Troop, Deep River Ancient Muster, 2009, Clip #2 The "Troop", Playing Sailor's Hornpipe.
Christmas in Coventry, CT Parade, 2007

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STRESS
For the Good of the Corps
I would like for each member of The Nathan Hale Ancient Fifes & Drums to take this little test to determine if YOU might be getting stressed out.
Read the full description before looking at the picture.
The picture below has 2 identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at St. Mary's Hospital. Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical, a person under stress would find differences in the two dolphins. The more differences a person finds between the dolphins, the more stress that person is experiencing. Look at the photograph and if you find more than two differences
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Quartermaster ... Carla Kennedy
The Executive Board is in the process of creating a "Fixed Asset Inventory" for the Corps, and everyone's help is needed. If you can, please complete and sign one form per person and indicate what Corps uniform pieces, equipment, and property you have in your possession. If you find you have anything "extra" please feel free to bring it to the We attempted to get this information in during the Encampment Weekend, but we probably had too much on the burners at that time. Please get this done as soon as possible. Additional copies of this form may be obtained from Carla at any practice, in case you did not get a copy in your e mail.. Once you have turned in your form, your name will be checked off acknowledging receipt of the inventory you possess. Not only will this information inform the Executive Board as to what we have left in our possession, it will assist us in identifying uniform needs and making decisions to replace and distribute equipment as needed.
The music is ready for our 2010 Stand Piece! Some new stuff in there. SOme easy ... some of it is going to take a little more effort. Come to practice and get your copies. I decided to put this out now, rather than wait until mid winter.
PLEASE, make your comments, desires or interests known to me..
(Bob Castillo at CtConnection01@aol.com)
Thanks.
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I HAVE TO ASK ... Maybe, there is someone out there in the Nathan Hale extended family reading these words , who just might have a hidden (or repressed) passion for announcing stuff for the corps at some of our events. I am not suggestiing any of you quit your day jobs to do this, but if you think you might like to help us out in this way, PLEASE, make your desires or interests known to me.. (Bob Castillo at CtConnection01@aol.com)


MUSIC OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION.
This wonderful CD is available online at the Liberty Bell Museum, Gift Shop While you are there, make sure to look over the rest of this very unique store.
Page Created and Maintained by Bob Castillo
