On Saturday night, August 25, the Madison Scouts Alumni Reunion Project (MSARP) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its spectacular performance at the 2006 Drum Corps International Finals in Madison at Camp Randall Stadium. The anniversary banquet was held in the ballroom of the DoubleTree Hilton Madison East. Most of the 100-plus attendees had also enjoyed the excellent lineup at the annual Drums on Parade show at Mansfield Stadium the night before. It was a special weekend for alumni, family, and friends to celebrate past achievements and renew the lifelong friendships that come with being a Madison Scout.
The banquet program included a pre-dinner "mix and mingle," a Madison Scouts Hall of Fame presentation, and a multimedia presentation highlighting the incredible effort behind putting the 2006 Reunion Corps on the field in front of 20,000 adoring fans. Banquet organizers were Scott Stewart, Scott Pearson, and Randy Ferry.
HOF speaker Joe MurrayThe video went into detail on all the planning that went into getting more than 200 Madison Scout alumni on the field 20 years ago for that once-in-a-lifetime moment — tracking down instruments and equipment, coordinating practice times around travel schedules, and writing the musical and visual program for the final production. Before seeing this video, I had no idea how much effort went into the whole undertaking, even though I was on the instructional staff at the time. It was a monumental achievement.
After the presentation, alumni and their families and friends stayed to share stories, sing "Never Walk," and watch a video showing snippets of old Madison Scouts shows through the years. It was the perfect ending to a weekend to remember. Congratulations to everyone who attended the 20th anniversary banquet, and a special thanks to the organizers who put in countless hours to make the event so special. May you never walk alone!
*Joe Murray, 1972–'76*