Archive for the ‘Ceremonies & Celebrations’ Category
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 »
Posted by glennled on July 22, 2016
“Echo Taps” partners, Memorial Day, 2016. Photo by Gary Walderman.
He’s only a seventh grader, going into eighth this fall, but he plays the trumpet with confidence and accuracy. So I asked him to play “Echo Taps” with me at the Memorial Day ceremony on 30 May at Veterans Park in Lynnwood. Other students of mine have played the “echo” part with me there, but they were all older and in high school. Also, those other students had all taken private trumpet lessons with me. This trumpeter, however, was my student when he was in the beginning bands at Skyview Jr. High School in Bothell. He’s doing well in the 7th grade band and jazz band at SJHS now.
“Echo Taps,” Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler. Photo by Janelle Squires.
The weather this year was the best ever in my five years as VFW Post 1040 Bugler. On Memorial Day, I get to sound three bugle calls: “Assembly” (to open the ceremony), “Echo Taps” (to conclude the ceremony), and “To the Color” (when the flag is hoisted from half- to full-mast at noon). Attendance at this half-hour ceremony and the one on Veterans Day (11 November) is growing.
My Getzen bugle has two tuning slides. I use the G slide for “Tattoo,” “Taps,” and “Funeral March,” and the Bb slide for all other bugle calls. Love that horn!
Please click on any photo to enlarge it.
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Lynnwood Police, faithful attendees of this annual Memorial Day ceremony. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.
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Northwest Junior Pipe Band leads the opening parade. Photo by Janelle Squires.
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Northwest Junior Pipe Band. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.
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Color Guard, Nile Shriners, Mountlake Terrace. Photo by Janelle Squires.
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VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Lynnwood. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.
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Nile Shriners, Mountlake Terrace. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.
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Northwest Junior Pipe Band. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.
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VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Lynnwood. Photo by Gary Walderman.
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“Echo Taps,” Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler. Photo by Janelle Squires.
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Three Bricks–Herb, Mac, and Glenn. Photo by Janelle Squires.
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: Assembly, band, bugle, bugler, echo taps, Funeral March, Getzen, horn, jazz, lessons, Taps, Tattoo, To the Color, trumpet, trumpeter | Leave a Comment »
Posted by glennled on July 20, 2016
Memorial Day is the annual holiday when America honors its war dead. Raelynn Ricarte came to Edmonds, WA from Hood River, OR in the Columbia River Gorge area to deliver the keynote message of this year’s Memorial Day ceremony on 25 May at Edmonds Community College—“Be an American Worth Dying For.” Her son, U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jesse Atay, deployed five times in both Iraq and Afghanistan during nearly 13 years in military service, first as a platoon leader and then as the lead on a combat assault team. The horror of September 11, 2001, sent Atay to war.
Raelyn Ricarte, The Gorge Heroes Club and author, “Living the Oath: Warriors Take It, Families Endure It”
Ricarte has earned the right to deliver that message. She vowed to take care of her son’s “dudes” through action, not just lip service. She started sending care packages to troops in the Middle East, using small amounts of donated funds. That eventually grew so much that she founded The Gorge Heroes Club, a non-profit pro-troop group that now sends the troops thousands of care packages. Please see http://gorgeheroesclub.blogspot.com/.
When you hear or read her stories about the agonies of loss and trials of grief which the families of America’s war dead go through, you understand how she can say to all our citizens, “Be an American Worth Dying For.”
To me and others I know, it was the best Memorial Day ceremony held at Edmonds Community College so far. Everyone on the program spoke from the heart and told their own personal stories. You got their messages. And after the wreath-laying ceremony outside on campus and after Kyle Gaul, Northwest Junior Pipe Band, played “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes, I had the privilege of sounding “Taps” one more time on my golden bugle, fading into silence at the end, concluding the program.
Please click on any photo to enlarge it. Outdoor photos courtesy of Veterans Resource Center, ECC.
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James Blossey, Commander, Edmonds VFW Post 8870, U.S Navy, Ret.
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Art Ceniza, Asst City Administrator, Lynnwood, speaking of his late father, who at 103, was one of the last survivors of the infamous 60-mile Bataan Death March in the Philippines in 1942 during WWII
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Steve Pennington, alumnus, Edmonds CC Foundation, Board of Directors, U.S. Air Force, Ret.
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Dr. Jean Hernandez, speaking about her recently deceased father, a WWII Veteran
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Presentation to Dr. Jean Hernandez, posthumously honoring her father, a WWII Veteran
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Chris Szarek, Veterans Resource Center, ECC, speaking to Dr. Jean Hernandez, President, Edmonds Community College
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Eric Christensen, reading “Just A Common Soldier,” a poem by A. Lawrence Vaincourt (1987)
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Monica McNeal, American Gold Star Mothers
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Laying of the Wreath, Chris Szarek and Monica McNeal, at the Boots to Books Memorial, ECC campus
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“Taps,” VFW Post 140 Honor Guard, Lynnwood
Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bagpipes, bugle, Chris Szarek, Dr. Jean Hernandez, Edmonds Community Club, Living the Oath, Northwest Junior Pipe Band, Peter Al, Taps, The Gorge Heroes Club | Leave a Comment »
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