The 2024 season has drawn to a close, and the 2025 season's groundwork is underway. This past season went by way too fast. We have had an exciting year of events that many Alumni participated in! Our Scouts had a fantastic year as they fought hard to grab and keep their position in the top 12. Please help support the corps in keeping this amazing momentum going forward! Participation is vital in helping us grow our great organization and support our Madison Scouts. The 2024 Hall of Fame Class of Hall of Famers has been enshrined into the HOF. Congrats Tom Acheson, Jeanne Beckman, Calvin Harris, Dr Bruce Lages, Jim McCarthy, Michael Turner, and Stan Stitgen. I want to thank the HOF committee members for their hard work and dedication in recognizing these individuals. Please donate to the CH Beebe campaign. Each donation will be recognized on our booster boards, and you will receive a CH Beebe commemorative challenge coin. This will help a deserving Scout attain their dream of becoming a Scout!!
Randy FerrieThe winner was the Legacy Tee, Lemon Squeeze. It is on sale now for $60, so get yours while they last.
The 2025 T-shirt will be the result of a contest to design it. The parameters of the contest will be announced soon. So get your design caps on, and who knows, your great design could be shown across the country!
MSAA Hall Of Fame Tailgate Weekend was a huge success! Friday, there was a golf outing for alumni and a memorial get-together to honor David Ramthun by showing support for his family. The next day was show day! With over 400 Alumni, Friends, and Family showing up to support the Corps, reminisce about their days as Scouts with old Brothers, and make new acquaintances with other Alumni. I want to thank all the Keg Sponsors and all of the volunteers who helped out that day. It could not have been done without you! We also had The CapitolAires and the Alumni Breakfast Club in attendance Such a great mix of Drum Corps people. With our many volunteers, we also had the opportunity to cook and feed the corps dinner. A home-cooked meal, by Scouts for Scouts! The highlight of the tailgate that everyone was waiting for was when the 2024 Scouts came over, and played a few tunes, Slaughter and Jesus Christ Super Star, and other selections from this year's show. This all culminated when the Alumni got to sign an Aussie from the members. This made such a personal connection between Alumni and current marching members. Most Aussies that I saw had many signatures with names, sections, and marched years. Those members would carry a piece of those Alumni with them onto the field, the ones that came before them through each show this year that they had met with. Such an honor. Then it was time to Sing Never Walk Alone as one connected family. Truly Magic!
Another event by the Madison Scouts Alumni Association was Texas BBQ Scouts style. The MSAA took in sponsorships for Briskets as we do with the Kegs in Madison. I would like to thank all the Brisket sponsors! Let me tell you, that BBQ was amazing! Thank you, Robert Ovalle, his Wife Michelle, son Robbie, pit guy Troy, Sam Powers, Greg Jarosz, and Jorge Franco. It was a pleasure working together to feed the corps. Another tremendous personal connection with the corps. That’s what this is all about! It sure looks like we have to feed the Corps more brisket because the Scouts had an exceptional performance at the DCI Southwestern Championship! I want to build on this Texas event and incorporate more big events next year!
A new class of age-outs has joined our ever-increasing ranks of Madison Scouts Alumni. This year, as in years past, representatives of the MSAA gathered and held a ceremony for the newly aged-out members, presenting them with a neckerchief, information on how to stay connected, and some words of welcome! Let's Welcome our new Alumni!
We are looking forward to seeing you!
Randy Ferrie
YNWA