Ingersoll Pipe Band. Pipe Bag Tuning and Cleaning. Inside This Issue

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1 Ingersoll Pipe Band Volume 7 Issue 2 June 2017 Pipe Bag Tuning and Cleaning Early Saturday morning on April 15th, our Pipe Major Jack had the pipers gather at the Band Hall to complete pipe maintenance. For some members it was "old hat", but for many new members it was an opportunity to see what is involved in keeping their bagpipes in tip-top shape. It's officially here! Parade Season... Our Victoria Day, Indy 500 and Vimy Ridge performances were mere tune-ups! (Well not quite!) So now it's time to hit the hot summer day parade routes and have FUN! This edition of the newsletter looks back at our band activities in April, May and June plus a few side excursions of some of our band members. Enjoy! - Veronica (Your Editor) Pg. 1,2 Tuning Up Inside This Issue The drummers had their opportunity to tune up their drums on Saturday April 29th under the tutelage of Hugh Cameron from Wellesley. It was a great opportunity for the drummers to go over their kits and ask the expert some questions. Pg. 3,4,5 Victoria Day Parades Pg. 6 to 9 The Indy Experience Pg. 10 to 12 - Vimy 100 Commemoration Pg. 6 World War I Commemoration Pg. 13,14 - IPB Members Travel Pg. 15 to 21 - Piping & Drumming Overseas Pg. 22, 23 - Upcoming Events Pg The End! Jerry looking on as Hugh adjusts Lisa's snare. 1

2 D Drummers gathered inside for tips from Hugh. Doug G, Jane, Doug T. & Steve outside. Pipers busy cleaning and reassembling their pipes. 2

3 Woodstock Wrap-Up May 22nd A few days before the Victoria Day celebrations in "The Friendly City", when interviewed by The Woodstock Sentinel Review, Brad Janssen, special events and communications manager for the City of Woodstock stated: This year we are ramping up the special events to reflect Canada 150 to make them even more special". Janssen also said that the annual parade on Monday, May 22 would be celebrating its 70th anniversary and would be the largest in a decade. The event would feature 15 marching bands, including the Ingersoll Pipe Band. Parade Day dawned cool and cloudy but there was no rain! The parade left the fairgrounds at 10 a.m. and made its way down Dundas St. to Wellington St. south and into Southside Park. As usual the crowds were very enthusiastic and enjoyed all the bands and floats. 3

4 LOOK Gathering at The Fairgrounds Pre-Parade Thamesford "Calithumpian Days" Wrap-Up May 22nd Once again, the sun shone on the community of Thamesford for the annual Monday Calithumpian parade. The crowds were large and welcomed us along the parade route. This was also a very exciting afternoon for two of our newest members, Christine Breen and Catherine Stark who were "stepping out on parade" for the very first time with IPB. Their mentor Wilson McBeath was there to cheer them on! Once again, Pat and Dave Kincaid invited us back to their home to enjoy some refreshments post parade. An excellent time was had by all! 4

5 Catherine enjoying her new sunglasses just in case she needed them on parade! How many people does it take to get Christine ready for parade? 5

6 The Band's Annual Trek to the Indy 500 in Indianapolis, Indianna A smaller IPB contingent left for Indianapolis on Friday May 26th and spent three days in the "Racing Capital of the World". Our friendly hosts again were the Indianapolis 500 Gordon- Horsehoe Pipes and Drums. This year the band members were given accomodation on the beautiful property of Tom Toole in the small rural area of Brownsburg, just outside of Indianapolis. Sunday Morning Parade on The Track The weekend was taken up with the usual flurry of activities - Saturday's parade downtown, and Sunday's celebrations and activities at the famous speedway. Apparently the catch phrase from DM Gail MacKay as the folks reminisced about past Indy excursions was "The Band has done many wonderful things over the years.". Doug Turvey, one of our bass drummers for the band thoughtfully summarized the weekend for us- "The Band has done many wonderful things over the years.we had a great time, this year. Although we were down in numbers, we made up for it with enthusiasm. Being together and using RV s gave each of us a better chance to get to know each other, as opposed to staying in a hotel and everyone stays in their rooms. A lot of good conversation and a lot of laughs. Our host Tom was great, going with the flow of what ever happened or what we wanted. The parade downtown was not as packed as last year, but still a good crowd. The parade at the track was better this year, I think, as the pipers actually had a chance to catch their breath between tunes. Overall, a great time. We were well taken care of. What can you say, great place, great friends and some more wonderful things to add to the things the band has done over the years." Nancy with pipers from the Gordons who piped in the Trophy at the End of The Race The Lassies of the Bands 6

7 Lots of Photos from Indy and Tom's Campground 7

8 8

9 Is Steve S. Having Fun Yet?!!!!!! 9

10 Commemorating Vimy 100 On Sunday June 11th, between 10:00 and 5:00pm, the Ingersoll Cheese & Agricultural Museum hosted a huge, immersive interactive public event commemorating the centennial of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was part of the ongoing activities throughout Oxford County over the past 4 years to remember Oxford's Own, the 168th Battalion. The entire museum grounds and all of Centennial Park was turned into a World War One site, from the enlistment office and Parade Square, to trench warfare training and the Battle for Hill 290. Scott Gillies, the museum curator said that the museum was thrilled to be working with members of the History Matters Association in order to present a full day of activities and demonstrations. From preparing comfort boxes to send overseas from the Home Front to listening to the Suffragists argue their case for giving women the right to vote during this turbulent era, there was plenty to keep visitors informed and entertained. Volunteers also had the opportunity to take part in basic training in calisthenics, marching, grenade toss and bayonets. The Ingersoll Pipe Band was on hand to provide music and a steady beat for all those wishing to march. Visitors could also chat with the Nursing Sisters at the Casualty Clearing Station, or relax in the French tavern and join in the chorus of WW1 songs. There were 645 site visitors on Sunday. On Monday, June 12th the entire museum grounds and surrounding park area again became the focus for local elementary and secondary students for a special WWI Education Day. Over 230 student "recruits" took the oath of allegiance to King George V, and participated in various activities. There were approximately a dozen stations for the recruits to visit with their teachers. Besides attending battle school, students learned how to use a cavalry lance, carry a stretcher, attack and defend the Front Line, and treat the wounded at the casualty clearing station. Again the pipe band was present to lead the troops into battle. The Woodstock Sentinel Review newspaper wrote about the Vimy 100 activity so if you would like to read the paper's account click on the logo below. Thanks to our dedicated band members we had a great turnout of pipers and drummers on Sunday to participate in the event and on Monday we were fortunate to have four pipers and another piper from Woodstock, Brian H., who frequently participates in reenactment ceremonies around Ontario. There are some excellent videos and photos as well on the Ingersoll Agriculture and Cheese Museum Facebook page...check it Out! In his correspondence to Scott, our Quartermaster Laurie wrote: "The Ingersoll pipe band were privileged to take part in this event, thank you Scott for putting on quite the show." And Scott's reply was: "Thanks, Laurie.. The presence of the pipe band was the crowning touch." 10

11 "VIMY 100" INGERSOLL JUNE 11,

12 HISTORY MATTERS ASSOCIATION is a not-for-profit group of military and historical reenactors dedicated to providing accurate representations of Canadian military history. Our primary focus is to provide quality Education Day Programming based on The First World War. 12

13 IPB Band Members News Forum Drummer Doug Glover's Trip to Panama In the spring, Doug and his wife, Catherine took an amazing trip to Panama and sailed through the canal. Doug passed along some photos of this amazing excursion. Doug's photo captions are below! Doug with "my amigo" at the Bucanero Pub; My boat; Catherine and Doug in the rain forest with a bit of the Panama Canal in the background; If you pay extra you can drive the boats through the canal; Catherine with Panama City in the background 13

14 Nancy and Harold Matthews in Montreal As most of our readers are aware, there are several Shriners in the Ingersoll Pipeband. Lots of fundraising takes place in the band room and we are only too happy to support the fundraising activities of these members. Last winter Nancy and Harold made a trip to the Montreal Shriners Hospital with other local Shriners. They visited with some of the staff and patients. Located in Montreal since 1925, Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada is a bilingual, acute care center providing orthopaedic specialty care for complex or chronic disorders, such as osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease), severe spinal and limb anomalies, reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation. Children from across Canada, the U.S. and around the world have benefited from the Canada Shriners Hospital s groundbreaking research and innovative treatments, both in Montreal and in their own communities. For more than 90 years Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada s board-certified surgeons and staff have been providing high-quality orthopaedic care. Every member of our team, from surgeons and therapists, to nurses and prosthetists, work together to ensure the best course of treatment for each patient in a family-centered environment. If you would like to read more about the hospital and its programs just click on the logo above. 14

15 Piper Veronica Jackson and Drummer Winston Kooistra take part in Liberation Tour Activities in The Netherlands Recently, Winston and Veronica had the opportunity to travel to The Netherlands with a group of pipe band members and their family members from several communities in Ontario. Our massed band also consisted of two pipers from Vancouver. We were officially titled the "Phase Two" contingent of The Frank Graham Cycle Liberation Tour We flew out of Pearson International Airport in Toronto on April 25th. We were invited to perform at commemoration ceremonies for those who died during the Liberation of The Netherlands, as well as take part in honouring all those who fought in WWII. "Phase One" was composed of a group of Canadian youths who embarked on a cycling tour of the route of Dutch resistance during the World War II. Seventeen youths, aged 18 to 28, began their trip in the town of Markelo in The Netherlands on April 17th where they were joined by twenty-three Dutch youth to make the 700 kilometre trek. The tour was created to reinforce a connection among youth, while educating them on events of the Second World War. These tours were named after Frank Graham, a WWII veteran who was part of the Canadian army troops that took part in the Liberation of The Netherlands from the fall of 1944 to the spring of Markelo is a lovely town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located just over 100 kilometres west of Amsterdam. The population is about 7,000. All the Canadians who travelled there were billeted with host families. The citizens of Markelo not only opened their doors to us but their hearts as well. 15

16 We had the opportunity to play at several locations in Markelo and surrounding towns and cemeteries. One of our first performances was at the Koningsdag (King's Day) celebrations on April 27th. This was a celebratory event and a national holiday. At other locations, the tone was much more sombre. We performed at several Remembrance and Liberation Day observances (May 4th is Remembrance Day in The Netherlands, while May 5th is Liberation Day). We played at - the Ereveld in Loenen : this is a beautiful, forested peaceful location where many Dutch soldiers, resistance people, and civilians are buried; at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery which is the second-largest World War II cemetery in The Netherlands; in Markelo at three different locations honouring the casualties of war, in particular Holocaust victims and Resistance fighters; at a church service in Markelo; and in another nearby town, Leesten where a street was being named in honour of a Canadian soldier. In this small town there are 10 streets and one bridge named for Canadian soldiers The following photos try to illustrate the many places that the Liberation Tour pipers, drummers and members of the colour party came from around Ontario. You may recognize a few familiar faces! 16

17 Photos of Some of the Band Members, Colour Party and Veterans in The Netherlands Top Left: Bruce & Don from JP Fell Pipeband North Vancouver Top Right: Tom & Chris (former members of the 78th Fraser Highlanders) Middle Left: Frank & James from The Beaver Valley Pipes & Drums Middle Right: Robert & Colleen from Renfrew Highland Pipes & Drums Bottom Left: John from The McClaren Pipe & Drum Band Bottom Right: Rhys, Derek and Lewis from the Uxbridge Legion Pipes & Drums 17

18 Top Left: RCMP retiree Bill from Vancouver; Branch 28 Legion Pipes and Drums from Chatham - Dickson, John, Tom, Foxx, Dottie, Connie, Jim, (Kaiden absent) Top Right: Colour Party : Connie, David, Jim, Brian, Rosemary (various towns) Middle Left: Members of the Highland Regiment Pipes & Drums of Holland Middle Right: Members of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 80 Midland Pipes & Drums : Marten, Tammy, Beth, Trevor, Connor, Bart, Adam, Doug (Meg and Chuck absent) Bottom Left: Rick from Durham Regional Police Pipes and Drums Bottom Right: Bryan from the Callander Pipes & Drums 18

19 Markelo is a lovely town in the Dutch province of Overijssel. It is located just over 100 kilometres west of Amsterdam. The population is about 7,000. All the Canadians who travelled there were billeted with host families. The citizens of Markelo not only opened their doors to us but their hearts as well. 19

20 Winston with his family relaxing in the bar/ restaurant in downtown Markelo, Wapen van Markelo (Eppies/Smit) which was assigned the name Branch Two 20

21 At Holten Canadian War Cemetery on Remembrance Day and photos of our 3 Canadian Veterans on the Tour - Peter, Norman, and Bert 21

22 Upcoming Parades & Events for July, August & September 2017 Embro Highland Games - July 1st 10:00 am Step Off Pipeband BBQ - Details on the left Ingersoll - Canada 150 Celebrations- July 1st 6:45 pm Victoria Park - Main Stage area Algonac (Michigan) - Lions Parade - July 2nd 2:00 pm March Off from Lions Club Field Canterbury Folk Festival - July 8th 3:50 pm March off from Charles Street to Memorial Park to play at 4:15 pm Pipeband Pot Luck & Scotch Tasting -at the Band Hall - after the Folk Festival performance (see page 23 for all the details) Delhi Cemetery Ceremonies - July 16th 3:00 pm March Off from the Delhi Cemetery PIPE BAND BBQ JULY 1, 2017 PIPE BAND HALL 5:00 6:30pm Immediately after Embro Highland Games mass bands + before Canada 150 celebration in Victoria Park. Come enjoy a quick bite before heading off to our next piping gig! Ingersoll Harvest Festival - August 19th 12:00 pm March Off from the Ingersoll Agricultural & Cheese Museum Grill will serve: Hotdogs/Hamburgers/Salads + some yummy dessert to finish things off! ***Please let Nancy know if you are able to make it to the feast!!! hmatthews@xplornet.com Richmond Parade Richmond - Sept. 10th 1:30 PM March off Delhi Harvest Fest Parade - Sept. 10th 11:00 AM March off from high school 22

23 Let Nancy know if you are a YES, and also if You plan to be: A) Feasting or B) Feasting and Sampling ; And Whether You Can Bring A) Salad; B) Main Course Dish; or C) Dessert for the Pot Luck Sign - Up Sheet at the Band Hall or Nancy at hmatthews@xplornet.com 23

24 Last But Not Least - Former Quartermaster Dave Kincaid at the Georgetown Highland Games June 10th Thanks, Laurie for your photos! Stewart Taking the Day off from Piping on Victoria Day 24