THE - 2006 - BAND - NEWS
THE ALEPPO TEMPLE (AAONMS)
SHRINE ORIENTAL BAND NEWS FOR THE YEAR 2006
The above is the official logo of the Aleppo Temple (AAONMS) Oriental Band.
The year 2006 got off to a good start with new leadership and the enthusiasm that generally comes along with such a change. Our first showing was at a CEREMONIAL in January and we made a credible showing there and were well received. The January Ceremonial is traditionally the time when the new POTENTATE and OFFICERS of Aleppo Temple are installed and we would like to CONGRATULATE the new DIVAN (Officers) on their accomplishment. We look forward to an enjoyable year with them and wish them the best in their administration.
Snowbird fever (the tendency of people to flock to warmer climates during our winters) took its toll on our rehearsals for a period of time during the beginning of the year, but things eventually changed as the flock headed home.
On February 16, 2006, the BAND held its ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING and reports were heard as to our position and as to some future plans for the year. All seems to be in order and we are looking forward to a good year.
Towards the end of February, the BAND was informed that the BLACK CAMEL had visited the OSHRY residence and had taken BELLA OSHRY to the SUBLIME OASIS. BELLA was a sweetheart of a lady who will be missed by all who knew her. Her surviving husband, LESTER, is also a gem in our BAND (and a great musette player) and we wish him the best in these and all future times.
On April 1, 2006, the BAND performed for a DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE installation in Wakefield, Massachusetts. The individual who was installed that day had requested our presence because the BAND had performed for the installation of her mother several years ago and she felt that the BAND performance added something to that installation which she wanted to experience and bring back for her installation. The BAND occasionally does such events and it was our pleasure to accept the invitation to participate. There was a nice turnout of BAND members and we all enjoyed the event and had a pleasant time there as well.
On April 17, 2006, the Oriental Band commenced its more formal parade schedule by returning to and participating in the Patriot's Day Parade in Lexington, Massachusetts. We enjoyed doing the Parade and the crowd enthusiastically welcomed us back after a six year hiatus. The weather was a bit on the brisk, gloomy, and foreboding side but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd or of the BAND and nothing really came of the weather so it turned into an ideal marching day, if not a little on the cool side. We, nonetheless, did miss doing the Arlington, Massachusetts Parade this year and hope that, in the future, we may return to the days when we do Arlington in the morning and Lexington in the afternoon. Patriot's Day commemorates early encounters (at Lexington, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts) of the American Revolutionary War. It also incorporates tribute to the "great midnight ride of Paul Revere" which is recreated for the Holiday and which winds its way from the area of Boston, Massachusetts along a route that takes it through Arlington, Massachusetts and Lexington, Massachusetts towards Concord, Massachusetts and this year was no exception as PAUL REVERE'S arrival immediately preceded the Lexington Parade. The Holiday provides a great opportunity to see history recreated - whether it be the ride of Paul Revere or the recreations of the Battles held on Lexington Green or at the Old North Bridge in Concord. And, if the spirit (and your legs) should so move you, you could alternatively participate in the Boston Marathon which is traditionally run on that day as well. We were happy with what we did for the day by way of our performance and hope that we added to the happiness that others took from their celebration of the day. It was also nice to see some of our snowbirds starting to return to our fold and participating. In addition, two enthusiastic prospective new members followed the BAND throughout the Parade - we look forward to the day when they will be joining us on the streets and hope that will happen in short time. A highlight (or low-light, depending on how you may want to view it) of the Parade was one of our members losing his pants while marching - some of us go to extremes to entertain! Our uniforms have cummerbunds which act, to a certain extent, as belts and which are secured with velcro. If one makes some wrong moves or does not secure his cummerbund appropriately, then they do occasionally release. Just as we were turning into the center of Lexington and a few hundred yards from the Lexington Police Station, a cummerbund let go. Once that happens, it is almost inevitable as to what happens next and, a few shorts steps later, down went the pants. Fortunately it was a cool day and the member was appropriately clad underneath, but everyone (including some of the onlookers) had a good laugh and the member made a great recovery and everyone just took it in stride and moved on. We knew we were safe when we made it past the Police Station without further incident. We would also like to take note of the presence of the GRAND MASTER of Massachusetts in the Parade along with a large contingent of Grand Lodge Officers and local Blue Lodge Officers. The current GRAND MASTER is a resident of Lexington and a local businessman. Lexington is also the hometown of WEBSHEIK(c) and he is uncertain whether everyone came out to see him personally, the GRAND MASTER, or all the other Parade participants - as a BAND, we have decided to let WEBSHEIK(c) wallow in his delusion!
Alternative Holidays which also occurred on April 17, 2006 precluded a BAND get together after the Lexington Parade.
Conflicting personal and college graduation schedules precluded our appearing at the NEWTON MASSACHUSETTS PARADE on May 21, 2006.
On May 24, 2006, the BAND was informed that the BLACK CAMEL had visited the residence of JOHN KELLEY and had taken BARBARA KELLEY to the SUBLIME OASIS. BARBARA was a dedicated and loyal supporter of the BAND and her sideline presence will be missed. We all wish the KELLEY FAMILY the best in these and all future times.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we were unable to participate in the Somerville, Massachusetts Parade on May 28, 2006 and the Wilmington, Massachusetts Parade on May 29, 2006.
LESTER OSHRY on The OCCASION OF HIS RECEIPT OF A JOSEPH WARREN MEDAL - JUNE 6, 2006
On June 6, 2006, several members of the BAND travelled to BLUE HILL (Masonic) LODGE in CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS to partake of and witness the presentation of a JOSEPH WARREN MEDAL to LESTER OSHRY, a member of the BAND. The Joseph Warren Medal is one of the highest awards that the GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS bestows upon its brethren. All had a wonderful time at the event and all agreed that LESTER was truly deserving of the honor. Our CONGRATULATIONS are extended to LESTER and his family on the occasion of this accomplishment.
WHAT A WEEKEND! On Saturday, June 10, 2006 we participated in a Shrine Ceremonial (Initiation) in Wilmington, Massachusetts. The schedule of a Ceremonial generally is such that the initiation of new inductees takes place early in the day. That allows the new members to better partake of the festivities of the rest of the day more fully - it also has some other ramifications. As mentioned previously, we have had two individuals interested in joining the BAND but who had not been formally initiated. Once initiated, they were able to formally join and they did so with enthusiasm and were able to participate in the afternoon events of the Ceremonial with the BAND. One of the new members, having some musical skill, took to the musette as if he had been born with one in his mouth and the other new member is currently in our percussion section. We had a nice turnout at the Ceremonial and the addition of the two new members made our presence and performance just that much more impressive. EVERYONE had a good word to say about our performance. A warm welcome to the BAND is extended to JAMES HONOHAN, SR. and MICHAEL G. TUCKER. IN ADDITION, we received applications from two other inductees expressing interest in joining the BAND. We look forward to their eventual participation with us as well.
On Sunday, June 11, 2006, the rains of the past month or so ceased, and the BAND returned to Wilmington, Massachusetts to participate in the GRAND MASTER of MASSACHUSETTS' PICNIC (The name had been changed from a FAIRE to a PICNIC because of some logistics involved this year in having the event in Wilmington, Massachusetts rather than in Charlton, Massachusetts). Our performance there in the morning was a brief one, but everyone enjoyed it. Later, we made our way to SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS to participate in a more formal parade in the afternoon. Our two new members joined us and we would mark this as their first parade experience - we hope that they enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed having them with us. The weather was a bit on the cool side for the time of year and there were some fairly ominous clouds in the sky but nothing happened. The route was plaqued by some fairly uneven roads which made marching a bit difficult and it seemed like most people were taking advantage of the break in the weather to do many outdoor things that had been neglected otherwise. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the parade.
Our June 22, 2006 rehearsal saw an alumni of the BAND return to practice with us for the day. DAVE WHITE, who had moved for business reasons, happened to be in the neighborhood and dropped by for practice. It was good to see him and catch up on things with him. Proving that once one catches the ORIENTAL BAND "BUG" you never forget it, DAVE admirably picked up a bass drum and participated in our rehearsal quite commendably. We were all happy to see DAVE and hope to see him drop by again in the future. We would also like to remind him that four hour commutes to practices are not really an excuse for not attending!
As a result of our recent performances, we were recently approached by a local television station to do a televised promotional performance. Details have not been worked out yet, but we are hoping to put on an EMMY winning performance when and if it does happen.
On July 25, 2006, several members of the BAND participated, performed, and assisted at a SHRINE fundraising event at the NORTH SHORE MALL in Peabody, Massachusetts. Everyone had a good time and all appreciated that the effort was for a good cause.
On August 4, 2006, the BAND was saddened to hear that the BLACK CAMEL had visited the COUILLARD residence and had taken our fellow BAND MEMBER, PAUL COUILLARD, to the sublime and eternal oasis. PAUL was a dedicated MEMBER of the BAND and will be missed.
On August 5, 2006, the BAND got together for its ANNUAL SUMMER OUTING in Gloucester, Massachusetts and had a most enjoyable time. Fish stories are nothing compared to BAND revelry and we do our best to maintain our standards and reputation so there is always a good time when we get together. This year's outing nonetheless was tempered a bit by various conflicting events and obligations and the recent news of the passing of PAUL COUILLARD (see above).
On August 12, 2006, a number of members of the BAND attended a Memorial Service for PAUL COUILLARD.
At our August 24, 2006, rehearsal the BAND expressed great concern over the recent downgrading of the PLANET PLUTO to the status of a "dwarf planet" by the INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION meeting in PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA. It was felt that the decision was a "GOOFY" one which defied the laws of the UNIVERSE and that those members voting for the change should be demoted to "dwarf member" status in the organization. We are also greatly concerned over the potential consequences of the change and what action PLUTO may take when it makes its next closest pass to PRAGUE. In the meantime, we urge ALL PLUTONIANS and PLUTO LOVERS to seek appropriate redress for the grievous injustice rendered by the downgrading before the next perigee of PLUTO to PRAGUE or EARTH. Recognizing the limitations of NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL governing bodies to deal with the matter, we also urge the creation of a UNITED UNIVERSAL BODIES ENTITY (UUBE)to deal with this and all future inter-planetary and universal matters. The BAND stands ready to assist in this matter and may be contacted by email, telepathically, or by such other means of communication as are available, by appropriately credentialed representatives of any planet, "dwarf planet", or any other universal body capable of sustaining any form of life capable of communicating, sharing the concerns, and seeking to participate. We look forward to hearing from you.
NEITHER RAIN, NOR SNOW, NOR SLEET, NOR HAIL can keep the BAND away from any charitable event designed to benefit SHRINE causes and September 3, 2006 proved to be no exception to that rule (one of our members even rushed back from BERMUDA to make the event of the day). As the tail end of Hurricane Ernesto made its way through the Northeast, the BAND, nonetheless made its way to Amesbury, Massachusetts where it assisted in and participated in the Second Annual Amesbury Firemans' Chilli Cook Off - the proceeds of which had been pledged to the Aleppo Shrine Transportation Fund. Though the rain (fairly heavy at times) may have dampened the setting, it did not dampen the spiciness of the chilli, the enthusiasm of the crowd, or the turnout (well, maybe a little - we really are not sure - this was our first time there and the crowd was quite reasonable and enthusiastic) and everyone also enjoyed our entertainment efforts even though the weather precluded our changing into our uniforms. The Cook Off is an evolving new event for us and is the type of event that we would like to see more of. The Chilli competition was intense as was the chilli itself and we like to think that we spiced things up a bit too and made it all that more enjoyable for everyone. Despite the rain, we had an enjoyable and productive time and can only imagine what a clear day might have brought. NEXT YEAR - AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS - BE THERE FOR THE CHILLI COOKOFF - BRING AN ANTACID!
THE NESOBA 2006 BAND (FIRST PLACE FANTASY/FIRST PLACE PARADE/BEST OVERALL) - SEPTEMBER 16, 2006
THE NESOBA 2006 BEST DUET: ROB JOHNSON and JACK ZIMMERMAN - SEPTEMBER 16, 2006
WONDER OF WONDERS, MIRACLE OF MIRACLES! Over the weekend of September 16, 2006, several members of the BAND attended the NORTHEAST SHRINE ASSOCIATION FALL CONVENTION in HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT and to their surprise found out that somehow the BAND had been entered into the NORTHEAST SHRINE ORIENTAL BAND (NESOBA) COMPETITION. Without any formal practice for such an undertaking and with a fairly sparse and somewhat unbalanced BAND, the BAND nonetheless managed to prevail in its various competitions and received a FIRST PLACE AWARD in FANTASY, a FIRST PLACE AWARD in PARADE, a FIRST PLACE AWARD in the DUET COMPETITION (featuring ROB JOHNSON and JACK ZIMMERMAN) and designation as BEST OVERALL BAND. The FIRST PLACE AWARD in DUET continues a long tradition for the BAND which has never failed to win the AWARD whenever it has competed for it. In addition to the satisfaction that was taken from our competition results, those who attended had a great time at the CONVENTION and the weather was ideal!
At our September 21, 2006 rehearsal, LESTER OSHRY was appointed ASSISTANT DIRECTOR of the BAND. All were pleased with the appointment and we Congratulate LESTER accordingly.
On October 7, 2006, the BAND participated in a Shrine Ceremonial in Wilmington, Massachusetts. Events of the day went well and our continued display of renewed enthusiam attracted two new potential candidates to our ranks. We are hopeful that they will follow through on their intentions and look forward to eventually welcoming them as members.
On October 9, 2006, we participated in the Columbus Day Parade in East Boston, Massachusetts. This parade is easily one of the longest parades that we do and one of the best attended ones. Columbus Day is a big event in East Boston which has a large portion of its population which can claim Italian heritage. The BAND had a good turnout and performed well and it was enthusiastically received by the crowd. One relatively new member, MICHAEL TUCKER, was at the head of the BAND with a gong and he displayed moves that we have not seen in years which entertained us and the crowd. Suffice it to say, we believe that we have found a replacement for the entertainment that both George Shallah and Hiram Shorter used to bring to the streets and our performances and we are encouraging MIKE to continue in his ways.
At our November 2, 2006 rehearsal two new candidates appeared expressing interest in joing the BAND. We are hopeful that they will enjoy their participation with us and look forward to their comradery.
On November 4, 2006, we participated in a Scottish Rite Consistory event. All appreciated our presence and we had a good time there as well. We are hoping to do more such events in the future at various levels of Masonic and collateral bodies and welcome requests from any such bodies to perform for them.
We wrapped up the year with our ANNUAL HOLIDAY PARTY which was held on December 2, 2006, in Falmouth, Massachusetts and which was exceptionally well attended this year. The next day we participated in a Holiday Parade in Falmouth and everyone was pleased to see us participating. We had a good time in Falmouth and hope to do something similar next year as well.
Following the FALMOUTH outing we took a break to accommodate the many obligations of the HOLIDAY SEASON. It will be a shorter break than we usually take because we are being called back early in JANUARY to rehearse for a SHRINE CEREMONIAL to be held later that month.
ALL IN ALL, it was a very good year for us. There was a new spirit in the BAND and we focused that on rebuilding and strengthening efforts - and we succeeded at that. A quality 10% increase in membership and award winning performances have cemented a solid recovery for us and we look forward to the upcoming year with more optimism than we have had in a few years.
WE THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED OR HELPED US IN ANY FASHION THIS YEAR; WISH THE BEST TO THEM AND EVERYONE ELSE; AND ENCOURAGE ALL TO COME AND WATCH US PERFORM IN 2007 (WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU).
The song which accompanies this PAGE is called AVINU SHALOM. WEBSHEIK(c) humbly respects all rights to the song and no effort is made hereby to circumvent those rights by including the song herein.
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