Archive for the ‘Ceremonies & Celebrations’ Category
Posted by glennled on November 24, 2017
Color Guard, VFW Post 1040, Lynnwood
As Dr. Jean Hernandez, President, Edmonds Community College (ECC), plans to retire at the end of this year, she leaves behind the thriving Veterans Resource Center (VRC) among the many credits in her education career legacy. This was evident during the recent 5th Annual Veterans Day Celebration at the Black Box Theatre on 1 November.
L to R: Dr. Jean Hernandez, Glenn Ledbetter, and Chris Szarek, during “To the Color.”
Under the leadership of Chris Szarek, VRC sponsored the event and was touted as a model program for other community colleges. Mr. Szarek is a U.S. Navy Seabee (retired).
Please see VRC’s webpage (https://www.edcc.edu/veterans/) and my posts on this blog of 28 June 2017, 20 July 2016, 18 August 2015, and 17 June 2014.
I was again honored to sound the bugle call, “To the Color,” at the opening of the program. Dr. Hernandez was the Guest of Honor; Jade Jeter-Hill was the Emcee; Dr. Bill Keppler, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) Emeritus, was the Guest Speaker; and the POW/MIA White Table Ceremony was led by Jen Matthews, Director, Black Box Theater. During a slide show of ECC veteran students, staff and faculty, a trio of T.C. Kouyeas, Jr., Chris Szarek, and Kelvin Nesvog, performend “I Won’t Back Down,” composed by the late Tom Petty.
Below is a photo gallery of a few of the people who participated in this year’s ceremony. Photos are courtesy of VRC, ECC. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Talking things over in the lounge prior to the ceremony
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Dr. Jean Hernandez, awaiting the ceremony
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Glenn Ledbetter, warming up his Getzen bugle (with practice mute) before the ceremony
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Prior to the ceremony, Frank Martinez explains the plans for presenting the colors
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“To the Color”
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“The Star Spangled Banner”
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Jade Jeter-Hill, Emcee
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Dr. Jean Hernandez, President, Edmonds Community College
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ECC Drama 101 Class performs the POW/MIA White Table Ceremony
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Dr. Bill Keppler, Guest Speaker
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Slide Show, accompanied by trio performing “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty
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Army veterans stand during “Armed Forces Medley”
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Veterans, active duty personnel, and civilians with relatives who serve(d) in the U.S. Army
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Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: Armed Forces Medley, bugle, Chris Szarek, Dr. Jean Hernandez, Edmonds Community College, Getzen, I Won't Back Down, mute, To the Color, Tom Petty, Veterans Resource Center, VFW Post 1040 | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on November 19, 2017
What’s it like, when Veterans Day rolls around each November and Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day are fast approaching, to live in a retirement community? If you’ve lost a spouse or child or family or friends or pets, it might be quite lonely. Why not remember, honor, and celebrate those who have passed? That’s the idea behind the 3rd Annual Memorial Walk at Skyline at First Hill, a Presbyterian retirement community in downtown Seattle near St. James Cathedral and Harborview Hospital.
The Memorial Walk is in a lovely courtyard between the facility’s two wings: Skyline Towers (for independent living) and Skyline Terraces (for assisted living). Adjacent is a 
room where the ceremony was conducted on 8 November. In the weeks prior, residents were asked to submit the names of people they want to be remembered. This year, some 200 names were reverently read aloud to the attendees. Afterwards, people wandered through the courtyard, remembering again.
For more information and photos, please see my post of 10 November 2016. Simply click on that month in the left column of this blog. For the second year in a row, I was honored to sound “Taps” on my Getzen bugle at the close of the ceremony.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, Getzen, Memorial Walk, Skyline at First Hill, Taps, Veterans Day | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on July 10, 2017
![19656928_10213365445353500_9134174314629046636_n[1]](https://glennstrumpetnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/19656928_10213365445353500_9134174314629046636_n11.jpg?w=719&h=894)
Lynnwood Community Band plays the famous march, “Washington Post,” at Edmonds Independence Day Parade, 2017
“9-11” changed everything. As we veterans marched in the parade through the streets of downtown Edmonds on Independence Day, the crowd of thousands continuously clapped and cheered. To us on this perfect, sunny, 71-degree day, the parade was a shower of blessings such as we ordinary men and women undoubtedly will never experience for anything else in our lives. We are not sports or rock stars.
I wore my black and white POW-MIA t-shirt—“You Are Not Forgotten.” I carried my beautiful Getzen Field Trumpet, proud to be the VFW Post 1040’s Bugler.
This parade is our annual “fifteen minutes of fame,” and I will drink of this fountain again next year, God willing.
Photos by Nancy MacDonald and Janelle Squires. Please click on any photo below to enlarge it.
Glenn Ledbetter blows kiss to daughter at Edmonds Independence Day Parade, 2017
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugler, Getzen, Independence Day, Lynnwood Community Band, march, parade, trumpet, Washington Post | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on June 29, 2017
“Echo Taps” team: Gavin (L) and Glenn Ledbetter (R)
Boy Scout Bugling Merit Badge
Hand salute, Glenn Ledbetter
Who knows the stories of all the people who came to Veterans Park in downtown Lynnwood on Memorial Day, 2017, to honor those who died while serving in our country’s armed services? And think of all the other stories of all the other people who gathered at similar ceremonies throughout our nation and the world on this special day.
It brings to mind the closing stanza of the most famous war poem, “In Flanders Fields,” by Major John McCrae, a Canadian brigade doctor during World War I:
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Whatever their individual stories, they all sacrificed their lives for us. Indeed, we live in gratitude in this blessed “land of the free and the home of the brave.”
And so it was on this Monday when Gavin, a former trumpet student of mine and a 7th-grader at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell, and I sounded “Echo Taps” to close this year’s ceremony—he, a Boy Scout with the Bugling Merit Badge, and me, former Boy Scout, a Navy Vietnam veteran, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, now 77, lucky man.
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugler, bugling, Bugling Merit Badge, echo taps, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on June 28, 2017
![IMG_6740[1]](https://glennstrumpetnotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/img_674011.jpg?w=1306&h=872)
Kyle Gaul, piper, leads the procession across the Edmonds Community College campus.
On 24 May at Edmonds Community College (ECC), veterans, their relatives and friends, and college officials and students gathered at the Black Box Theatre on campus for the 4th Annual Memorial Day Ceremony. The event is sponsored by the Veterans Resource Center at ECC, headed by Chris Szarek, Director, USN (Ret).
The Guest of Honor and featured speaker was Shannon Sessions, Air Force Veteran and Lynnwood City Council member. After this portion of the indoor ceremony, the group processed to the nearby Boots-to-Books-and-Beyond Monument for the public wreath-laying ceremony.
I had the privilege to sound two bugle calls, “To the Color” and “Taps,” on my Getzen Field Trumpet. Other performing musicians were Native American flautist, Peter Ali, and bagpiper, Kyle Gaul.
For more information about the Memorial Day ceremonies at ECC, please see my blog posts of:
All photos are by Nathan MacDonald, courtesy of the Veterans Resource Center. On the left, Buck Weaver (90+), WWII Veteran, leads the audience in singing, “God Bless America.” On the right is the Color Guard, VFW Post 1040, near the Boots-to-Books-and-Beyond Monument. Please click on either photo to enlarge it.
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bagpiper, bugle, Chris Szarek, Edmonds Community College, flautist, Getzen, Shannon Sessions, Taps, To the Color, Veterans Resource Center | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on June 7, 2017
Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, rehearses the presentation of the colors with members of Girl Scout Troop 44193. Photo courtesy of MyEdmondsNews.com.
Here comes Spring, and I start watching the calendar more closely. Here comes April. Here comes Baseball. Here comes Pacific Little League Day. Here comes my sixth annual opportunity to sound the bugle call, “To the Color,” as I stand in front of home plate at Harry H. Moore Field at Lynndale Park in Lynnwood, Washington. I tell you, it’s such an honor. I love it. And I love playing my beautiful Getzen Field Trumpet (bugle). This year, the Color Guard was composed of kids from Girl Scout Troop #44193 and Boy Scout Troop #331.
For more information about the Pacific Little League and its recent season-opening ceremonies, please see my previous blog posts on these dates:
- 19 July 2016
- 4 May 2015
- 7 June 2014
- 26 May 2013
- 22 May 2012
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, Getzen, Pacific Little League, To the Color, trumpet | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on December 31, 2016
So, who’s counting? Buglers, that’s who. And yes, I am aware that some have sounded “Taps” thousands of times and that I 
never will reach those numbers. For one thing, I don’t live near a national cemetery, and for another, it’s my age. But on Saturday, 17 December, I passed another of my own, personal, little milestones.
In freezing weather, at the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Veterans Cemetery at Evergreen-Washelli (E-W) in north Seattle at about 9:30 a.m., I sounded “Taps” for the 150th time while serving as bugler with the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard during the past five years. Then at noon, I did it again at the North Evergreen Court Mausoleum (also at E-W) for the entombment of Lois Kathryn Grasmick, the wife of an Army veteran.
In honor of those who have served, I had my new Getzen bugle engraved with this inscription: John 15:13.
Photos below by Tonya Christoffersen, courtesy of Navy Wives Club of America, Totem 277. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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“Taps,” Glenn Ledbetter (76), VFW Post 1040 Bugler
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John 15:13
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations, Status, Milestones, Summaries | Tagged: bugle, bugler, Evergreen Washelli, Getzen, Navy Wives Club of America, North Evergreen Court Mausoleum, Taps, Veterans Cemetery, VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Wreaths Across America | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on December 30, 2016
Wreaths Across America, Veterans Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, Seattle, 12-17-2016
When the 7th Annual Wreaths Across America (WAA) ceremony commenced on Saturday, 17 December 2016, at Veterans Cemetery, Evergreen-Washelli, in north Seattle, the temperature was 27 degrees (F). Members of the VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard teased me (with a little too much glee) that the mouthpiece of my Getzen bugle would freeze to my lips when I sounded “Taps.” But I’m an old dog. That was Nev-va Gonna Hop-pen!
The local ceremony is hosted by the Navy Wives Club of America (NWCA), Totem 277 (Seattle to Burlington), and Lorraine Zimmerman again was the emcee. The ceremony is now held annually on the 3rd Saturday in December.
The guest speaker was Michael Schindler, Navy veteran and CEO of Operation Military Family Cares, a non-profit organization based in Edmonds, where he and his family live (see http://www.OMFCares.org). He spoke about each of the three elements of WAA’s mission:
- REMEMBER our fallen U.S. veterans
- HONOR those who serve
- TEACH our children the value of freedom
Afterwards, I told him that his speech was worthy of being delivered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Here are a few excerpts.
“Fewer than 7% of Americans living today have worn the uniform—and less than 1% today are on the frontlines actively standing guard over our freedom. So it is our duty as parents, teachers, as leaders to help our youth understand the need for sacrifice…Imagine for a moment if we taught and required our youth to SERVE first…that “giving up” of time [to serve and honor] becomes an investment in others. And ultimately an investment in themselves. That is value [added to a person’s life]…Today it is our obligation to teach our children that freedom requires sacrifice…If you choose to wear the uniform, you will become one of American’s Greatest Assets—and your investment of time, sweat, tears, will result in a reward that is priceless—freedom.”
Color Guard marches past Honor Guard
For more information about WAA, please see my past blog posts regarding this annual ceremony. Simply use the Archives in the left column of this blog or search for “Wreath” in the search box in the upper right column to find my posts of:
- 5 February 2016
- 28 April 2015
- 9 January 2013
- 16 December 2011
Photos are by Tonya Christoffersen, courtesy of NWCA, Totem 277. Please click on any photo below to enlarge it.
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, Evergreen Washelli, Getzen, Michael Schindler, mouthpiece, Navy Wives Club of America, Taps, VFW Post 1040, Wreaths Across America | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on December 21, 2016
Glenn Ledbetter and Aidan, “Echo Taps” buglers
Did you know that “Echo Taps” is not an official U.S. military bugle call and is not to be sounded at funeral and graveside ceremonies? But because people like it, it is often used at other ceremonies, as it was this year on 11 November at Veterans Park in Lynnwood. During my time as bugler for VFW Post 1040, we first used a trumpet student of mine to play the “echo” part on Memorial Day, 1 June 2013. Ever since, we have continued to use them on both Memorial Day in May and Veterans Day in November (except one when I was sick).
In all, so far, six of my students have sounded “Echo Taps” with me in seven such ceremonies—Josiah, Vaughan, Robert (twice), Sarah, Gavin, and Aidan. Aidan did so this past Veterans Day. He is an 8th grader at Washington Middle School in Seattle and started taking private trumpet lessons with me earlier this year (see my blog post of 13 April 2016).
If you’re curious about additional coverage of “Echo Taps” in this blog, please see my posts of:
- 19 July 2011—echo by Roy Pollock, Medal of Honor ceremony
- 2 July 2012—echo by Bob O’Neal, War of 1812 Bicentennial ceremony
- 19 November 2012—echo by Richard Haydis, Veterans Day ceremony
- 1 June 2013—echo by Josiah Chupik, Memorial Day ceremony
- 19 June 2014—echo by Robert Zhou, Memorial Day ceremony
- 15 April 2015—echo by Sarah Dunsmore, Veterans Day ceremony
- 17 September 2015—echo by Robert Zhou, Memorial Day ceremony
- 22 July 2016—echo by Gavin [name withheld], Memorial Day ceremony
Photo by Rick Grambihler.
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, bugler, echo taps, lessons, student, trumpet, VFW Post 1040, Washington Middle School | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on November 10, 2016
Skyline at First Hill is a Presbyterian retirement community in downtown Seattle near St. James Cathedral and Harborview Hospital. Between its two wings, one for independent living (Skyline Towers) and the other for assisted living (Skyline Terraces), is a courtyard. That’s where I stood in the rain on 2 November to sound “Taps” on my Getzen bugle after the responsive reading of “We Remember Them” by Sylvan Kamens and Rabbi Jack Riemer, which is found in the Jewish Prayer Book (please see http://hmd.org.uk/resources/poetry/we-remember-them-sylvan-kamens-rabbi-jack-riemer). Then “Taps” closed the second annual “Skyline Memorial Walk” ceremony hosted by Skyline’s chaplain, The Reverend Elizabeth Graham.
Earlier, the residents and staff of Skyline had been invited to submit the names of veterans and others whom they wished to be remembered in advance of Veterans Day, 11 November. Their names—about 200—were read aloud, interspersed with periodic bell ringing, before the audience. Twenty, mostly elderly people gathered in the Madrona Community Room: two men, 18 women, silent in their memories of their dear veterans of WWI, WWII, and every conflict since, and others.
The names were then written on individual placards staked into the fertile soil in the planters in the courtyard, where they remained for a week so that the residents, staff and guests could walk among them. 
Isn’t it amazing? In place after place across the nation, around the world, year after year, our veterans are honored. The lowest, the highest, it matters not. To paraphrase a famous saying, when you put on the military uniform, whether on active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve, you write a blank check at that point in your life, made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including your life.” Engraved on my bugle is a citation of the Biblical verse, John 15:13. We honor such men and women.
Rev. Graham found me through my membership in Bugles Across America (please see http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org/ and my post of 4 May 2015). I’m glad she did. I’m glad I played cornet through high school and college. I’m glad I teach private trumpet lessons. I’m glad I teach beginning brass at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. I’m glad I play trumpet in the Husky Alumni Band. I’m glad I play in the Alderwood Community Church Orchestra in Lynnwood. I’m glad I’m the VFW Post 1040 Bugler. All these things enable me to sound “Taps” for veterans every chance I get—it’s my honor, and I’m grateful. Lucky me.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Westward view from the courtyard, Skyline Retirement Community, Seattle
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Skyline Towers from the courtyard
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Skyline Terraces from the courtyard
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: brass, bugle, bugler, Bugles Across America, cornet, Getzen, Husky Alumni Band, lessons, orchestra, Skyview Retirement Community, Taps, trumpet, veterans | Leave a Comment »
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