Inaugural parade’s most hopeful band
Monday, January 19, 2009
If you are going to watch the Inaugural Parade on Tuesday afternoon (and why would you not?) be sure to look out for the Bonnie Brae Knights. This drum corps–from Westchester County where I live–has been coached, coaxed, nursed, hectored, boosted, molded, pushed, pulled, drilled, and otherwise encouraged to put forth an inaugural-worthy performance.
The Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center serves the most intractable adolescent boys, from the most destructive homes (or lack of homes). The drum corps was, in the words of their director, “terrible” as recently as four months ago. However, they were selected to march in the Inaugural Parade (which says a lot about Obama’s staff and its commitments). They had no proper uniforms or even enough drumsticks until their plight was made known and $40,000 poured in. What a wonderful story about the difference that devoted coaches and supporters can make. Check out the band at http://www.bonnie-brae.org/.
