The Madison Scouts News

It’s time to make your hotel reservations at the Kalahari Resort and purchase tickets for the Madison Scouts 70th Anniversary banquet on the weekend of September 26 and 27.

Located 45 minutes north of Madison (right off I-39/90/94), the Kalahari features the largest indoor waterpark and is the perfect place for a weekend vacation with your friends and family. Everyone is invited to participate, including 2008 members, their families, alumni and all fans of the Madison Scouts.

During the weekend we will recognize not only the 2008 marching members and staff, but also the 70th Anniversary of the organization; the 25th Anniversary of the 1983 color guard being named the top unit at the DCI Championships in Miami, FL; and the 20th Anniversary of the 1988 DCI Championship title earned in Kansas City, MO.

Special room rates are available:

Hut - two queen beds, one queen sofa sleeper, work desk, television, patio/balcony, 358 square feet — $119.00 plus tax

Lodge - one king bed, one queen sofa sleeper, living room with fireplace, kitchen, dining room set, whirlpool tub, two televisions, patio/balcony with furniture, 663 square feet — $129.00 plus tax

Call TOLL FREE (877) 525-2427 or (608) 254-5466 to reserve your room at the Kalahari Resort. Mention the “Madison Scouts Banquet” for the discounted rates. You can also reserve tee times at Trapper’s Turn Golf Course or an appointment at the resort’s spa…also at special prices. The deadline for receiving the discount prices is August 26!

The weekend begins with a social event on Friday, beginning at 7:00 PM. There will be a cash bar, casino games, performance videos and snacks. This is a great opportunity to start off this historical two days by catching up with friends. Admission for this event is $10.00.

On Saturday morning, Executive Director Jeff Spanos and members of the board of directors will host a “state of the corps” informal get-together where members, parents, boosters and fans can hear about 2008 season experiences and get a glimpse at plans for the Madison Scouts during the next 70 years.

The pre-banquet cocktail hour will begin at 5:00 PM, followed by the buffet dinner at 6:00 PM. The program, emceed by the “Voice of DCI”, Brandt Crocker, will follow at 7:30 PM.

To purchase banquet tickets ($35.00 each), go to www.madisongear.com or click HERE.

During the weekend, silent auction items will be on display, along with current and special banquet souvenirs. There will also be a historical display. Among the brand-new items available for the first time during this weekend will be a special DVD containing footage of past performances, some of which has never been previously available.

We are still looking for volunteers to help during the weekend at the registration booth, setting up displays, decorating the banquet hall and helping with the silent auction and souvenir sales. If you can help, e-mail Mike Anello at michael@anellomedicalwriting.com

Don’t miss this special time to honor the Madison Scouts. Plan to bring family and friends and be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event!

For information, call Steve Vickers at 608-249-2590 or click HERE.

What started as a “thank you” concert for the city of Baraboo, ended up being an adventure of water, mud and a sense of purpose.

On Thursday, June 12th, the Madison Scouts were scheduled to play a concert for the city of Baraboo as way of saying thanks for hosting the corps during everyday rehearsals. However, due to severe storms and flooding in the area, city officials decided it was best to cancel the concert out of safety concerns.

The Scouts opted to use the time for ensemble rehearsal inside the UW-Baraboo facilities. But when close to 40 people showed up for a concert, the Scouts couldn’t disappoint and put on a great musical performance to the delight of all in attendance.

Soon thereafter the evening’s agenda took a far different path. With the severe weather having passed, the city was facing a crisis from the rapidly rising Baraboo River. In the gym, several members were approached by local citizens in need of people and labor to help protect homes along the river. Those members approached Corps Director Dann Petersen who was, at the time, having a meeting with the veteran members of the corps.

“The members approached me about helping the community with the flooding,” said Dann. “Upon hearing this, the veteran council immediately urged me to deploy the corps to help in these efforts. After some consideration about the issues involved, we set out to assist the Baraboo community. We are Madison Scouts…that’s what we do.”

Dann decided that only members over the age 18 should participate. “It was hard for the younger members to stay back at that school, but as their summer guardian I needed to make that decision.” Approximately 80 members and staff were quickly deployed from the school to assist in sand bagging operations around the banks of the Baraboo River.

The corps was deployed as a group and worked diligently until close to 1 a.m. to help build sand bag walls in order to protect homes in the nearby area. “It was an incredible site,” said Pepper Wooters, cymbal instructor and participant in the evening’s events. “The guys worked their butts off, standing in 2 feet of water and filthy from head to toe. They would be singing their show parts in unison, it was almost a mini-rehearsal. It was touching to hear them sing May You Never Walk Alone while helping out in this way.”

Upon returning to the school, the Scouts hit the showers to wash away the after affects of the night’s activities. On Friday morning, Dann consulted some health professionals about the precautions that should be taken since most of the members were standing in river water. Upon recommendation, about 20 of the members got a tetanus booster shot as a precautionary measure.

“Aside from muddy clothes and sore muscles, the corps is fine,” stated Dann Petersen. “On Saturday morning the mayor of Baraboo stopped by rehearsal to thank us. One of the key missions of the Madison Scouts is character and leadership development. We got a firsthand lesson Thursday night on what it means to step up and help solve a problem. We gained a lot from that experience as a group, it’s something that each of the members will be able to build upon this season, and in their future lives.”

The Madison Scouts begin their 2008 season on Friday, June 20th in Middleton, WI. For more information on the corps, visit www.MadisonScouts.org. To contribute to the corps, please visit www.MadisonGear.com

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Drum Corps International and the Madison Scouts are incredibly pleased to announce one of the most ambitious Web-based undertakings since DCI’s founding some 36 years ago. The Madison Scouts, with the other DCI World Class corps have come together to take the wraps off of the totally redesigned and wildly expanded “Fan Network” which now gives fans of drum corps across the world the chance to enjoy a spectacular, dizzying array of media options unlike anything ever offered before. Featuring unlimited and exclusive access to ALL of the action from the Madison Scouts and ALL of the World Class corps on the 2008 DCI Summer Tour, incredible new features will help you catch every note of the excitement. But that’s just the beginning!

Giving You Ultimate Access to the Madison Scouts and the other World Class corps of DCI…At your fingertips… 24 Hours a Day…

The new Fan Network represents an unprecedented cooperative effort between the Madison Scouts and all World Class DCI corps, who have combined all of their digital assets into one tremendous network interface. Not only can fans access the new Fan Network directly from DCI.org, they can subscribe to, enter and “live” on the site directly from within MadisonScouts.org. Fans can now have access to the world’s greatest collection of drum corps media, with exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else.

More of everything you want, when you want it…

Organized into several different content sections, the new Madison Scouts Fan Network is set up for easy viewing and direct access to all available digital assets from the Madison Scouts and the other participating corps.

Spotlight

• Daily features, with up-to-the-minute exclusive drum corps news and entertaining glimpses from the 2008 DCI Summer Tour
• Exclusive backstage features posted from “embedded” corps video crews crisscrossing the country as they take to the road with the Madison Scouts and other corps

On the Field

• Live streaming video from select 2008 DCI Summer Tour events tentatively scheduled for Madison, WI; Stanford, CA; Denver, CO; San Antonio, TX; Atlanta, GA and Bloomington, IN
• Post-show replay available for on-demand viewing of corps performances from select events, tentatively scheduled to include: Madison, WI; Stanford, CA; Kalamazoo, MI; Denver, CO; San Antonio, TX; Atlanta, GA; and Bloomington, IN.
• Unlimited access to the entire Drum Corps International audio/video vault - with some performances and complete programs available for the first time ever — including all of the Top 12 World Championship performances since 1974
• Audio and Video downloads of your all-time favorite performances… from “the classics” to the current day

Off the Field

• Watch exclusive multimedia content combining the historical audio/visual vault of the Madison Scouts and all of DCI’s World Class corps, many pieces digitized for the first time ever to deliver through this exciting platform

Podcasts

• Watch and listen to a unique variety of drum corps-related podcast subscriptions, bringing even more enhanced content to your inbox or personal mobile device
• Experience a variety of programs produced by the Madison Scouts and other top DCI corps, featuring outstanding instructional media from DCI’s most respected music education professionals
• Exclusive in-depth interviews, exciting features, and more

Now available for only $69/year!

With a new low subscription price of $69, the new Madison Scouts Fan Network gives you complete access to this impressive display of media content for 365 days a year. Can’t get enough drum corps action? Well, NOW is the time to join the all-new Madison Scouts Fan Network.

Subscribe NOW through MadisonScouts.org or click the banner!