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Posts Tagged ‘To the Color’

Flag-Changing Ceremony on Flag Day at Cristwood Park Retirement Community in Shoreline

Posted by glennled on July 11, 2018

U.S. Joint Volunteer Service Command Color Guard from Shoreline prepares to hoist the new flag

With love and respect, Elizabeth Hudson takes good care of the flag that flies on the grounds of Cristwood Park Retirement Community in Shoreline, where she is the Life Enrichment Coordinator (please see https://cristaseniorliving.org/explore-retirement-lifestyles/communities/). Three years ago on 12 June 2014, Ms. Hudson hosted a similar flag-changing ceremony at which I sounded two bugle calls, and this year on 14 June, she did it again. Both times it was on our national Flag Day. (Please see my blog post of 28 June 2014.)

For me, however, there was a big difference in the two ceremonies—this year, starting about 30 minutes before the ceremony, Ms. Hudson let me play patriotic songs as the crowd of about 25 residents slowly gathered. Then during the ceremony, I first sounded “Retreat” as the U.S. Joint Volunteer Service Command Color Guard from Shoreline lowered and removed the old, worn flag, followed by “To the Color,” as they hoisted the new flag to full mast on the flagpole. Afterwards, she invited me to play several more songs as the crowd dispersed.

Nice weather, nice day, nice music, nice ceremony, nice flags. It’s nice to be the VFW Post 1040 (Lynnwood) Bugler. You get to do nice things like this for nice people.

Photos are courtesy of Cristwood Park Retirement Community. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

Star-Spangled Banner

National Anthem

Bugle call, “Retreat,” as the old flag is lowered.

Preparing to retire the color

Flag folding

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, bugler, Cristwood Park, patriotic songs, Retreat, To the Color, U, VFW Post 1040 | Leave a Comment »

“To the Color” and “Taps” for Fifth Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Edmonds Community College

Posted by glennled on May 31, 2018

March from Black Box Theatre to Boots-to-Books Monument at Edmonds Community College. Photo courtesy of ECC Veterans Resource Center.

Memorial Day at Edmonds Community College (ECC) is celebrated on the Wednesday before the national holiday, which is always held on the last Monday of May. And so we gathered on 23 May at the Black Box Theatre for ECC’s Fifth Annual Ceremony—a time to remember those who died while in military service to our country. The event is sponsored by the ECC Veterans Resource Center, led by Chris Szarek, Director. Please see http://www.edcc.edu/veterans.

The ECC Music 119 Class, accompanied by Linda Kappus on piano, sang “The Star Spangled Banner.” Angelita Shanahan, vocalist from the Hero’s Café, led the audience in singing “America, the Beautiful.”

Three musicians performed solos: Toby Beard, bagpiper; Peter Ali, Native American flutist; and me. I sounded two bugle calls on my Getzen bugle: “To the Color” and “Taps.” Peter ad-libbed during the slide show inside the theatre and outside at Boots-to-Books Monument. Toby called the event to order in the theatre with a tune to open the program; played another tune while leading the march from the theatre to the monument; and finally played “Amazing Grace” at the monument.

The colors were presented by the U.S. Joint Volunteer Service Command Color Guard.

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bagpipe, bugle, Edmonds Community College, flute, flutist, Getzen, musicians, Taps, To the Color, Veterans Resource Center, vocalist | Leave a Comment »

“To the Color” on Pacific Little League Day, 21 April, at Lynndale Park in Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on April 29, 2018

“Count your blessings, name them one by one,” goes the hymn written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. 121 years ago in 1897. Well, here’s one of mine: I got to sound the bugle call, “To the Color,” for the 7th straight year at Pacific Little League Day at Lynndale Park in Lynnwood on 21 April. I used my Getzen bugle, of course…love it! Five kids from Girl Scout Troops 44193 and 40919, along three Boy Scouts and one Cub Scout, formed the Color Guard.

For articles about past PLL Days, please use the Archives in the left column to find these blog posts:

7 June 2017
19 July 2016
4 May 2015
7 June 2014
26 May 2013
22 May 2012

Here’s another blessing: three photographers shared their photos with me for this blog post, enabling me to present this Photo Gallery of the event. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

Courtesy of David R. Pan, Edmonds Beacon:

Courtesy of Teresa Wippel, My Edmonds News:

Stephanie Wright, PLL parent and Snohomish County Councilmenber, throws out the first pitch

Courtesy of Teresa Wippel, Lynnwood Today:

DSC_0775[1] - Nikki Glaros of Edmonds, singing the National Anthem

DSC_0782[1] - Reading the Little League Pledge

“”To the Color” bugle call by Glenn Ledbetter,VFW Post 1040 Bugler

Courtesy of Kimberly Shay, Pacific Little League:

How speedy is your fastball?

Assembling the teams for the Parade of Players

Chris Ingalls, Master of Ceremonies during Parade of Players onto Harry H. Moore Field, Pacific Little League Day, Lynnwood

Girl Scout Color Guard

Rehearsal of “Retire the Colors” by the Girl Scouts Color Guard

Glenn Ledbetter sounds “To the Color”

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: bugle, Getzen, hymn, Pacific Little League, To the Color | Leave a Comment »

Keeping the Chops Fit While on Texas Vacation

Posted by glennled on April 27, 2018

Glenn Ledbetter practices on his Jupiter Pocket Trumpet in St. Andrews Park, Corpus Christi, TX

Immediately after my two-week vacation in Texas with my wife, I came back to Washington State to play two gigs in Lynnwood—“To the Color” at the Pacific Little League Day ceremony at Lynndale Park on Saturday, 21 April and worship music with the orchestra at Alderwood Community Church the very next day. Meanwhile, down in Corpus Christi, TX, 2,300 miles away from home, how was I going to keep my embouchure in shape?

I did three things: two different isometric exercises daily with my P.E.T.E. (Personal Embouchure Training Exerciser) and about six hour-long practice sessions on my Jupiter Pocket Trumpet. Please see http://www.warburton-usa.com/index.php/pete and my blog post of 31 March 2018.

Here are some photos of my practice sessions in my rental car at Whitecap Beach on Padre Island (about 113 miles long) and under the gazebo at St. Andrews Park (about 31 acres) in south Corpus Christi.

It worked. After returning, I found that my chops had lost very little strength and endurance, and I had no trouble playing both gigs. I’m tickled about it.

Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

: St. Andrews Park, Corpus Christi, TX

: Trumpet practice on Whitecap Beach, Padre Island

Posted in Rehearsals, Practices | Tagged: Jupiter, music, orchestra, P.E.T.E., pocket trumpet, practice, To the Color | Leave a Comment »

Photo Gallery of Edmonds Community College’s 5th Annual Veterans Day Celebration

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.

: Talking things over in the lounge prior to the ceremony

: Dr. Jean Hernandez, awaiting the ceremony

: Glenn Ledbetter, warming up his Getzen bugle (with practice mute) before the ceremony

: Prior to the ceremony, Frank Martinez explains the plans for presenting the colors

: “To the Color”

: “The Star Spangled Banner”

: Jade Jeter-Hill, Emcee

: Dr. Jean Hernandez, President, Edmonds Community College

: ECC Drama 101 Class performs the POW/MIA White Table Ceremony

: Dr. Bill Keppler, Guest Speaker

: Slide Show, accompanied by trio performing “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty

: Army veterans stand during “Armed Forces Medley”

: Veterans, active duty personnel, and civilians with relatives who serve(d) in the U.S. Army

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 »

Fourth Annual Memorial Day Ceremony at Edmonds Community College

Posted by glennled on June 28, 2017

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:

20 July 2016 – https://glennstrumpetnotes.com/2016/07/20/2016-memorial-day-message-be-an-american-worth-dying-for/
18 August 2015 – https://glennstrumpetnotes.com/2015/08/18/memorial-day-ceremony-edmonds-community-college/
17 June 2014 – https://glennstrumpetnotes.com/2014/06/17/bugle-calls-at-memorial-day-ceremony-edmonds-community-college/

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 »

“To the Color,” Pacific Little League Day in Lynnwood, 4-22-2017

Posted by glennled on June 7, 2017

Color Guard rehearsal, PLL Day, Lynndale Park, Lynnwood, 4-22-'17 - Photo by myedmondsnews.com

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 »

My Youngest “Echo Taps” Partner on Memorial Day

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.

: Lynnwood Police, faithful attendees of this annual Memorial Day ceremony. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.

: Northwest Junior Pipe Band leads the opening parade. Photo by Janelle Squires.

: Northwest Junior Pipe Band. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.

: Color Guard, Nile Shriners, Mountlake Terrace. Photo by Janelle Squires.

: VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Lynnwood. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.

: Nile Shriners, Mountlake Terrace. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.

: Northwest Junior Pipe Band. Photo by Nancy MacDonald.

: VFW Post 1040 Honor Guard, Lynnwood. Photo by Gary Walderman.

: “Echo Taps,” Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler. Photo by Janelle Squires.

: 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 »

2015 Memorial Day Ceremony, Veterans Park, Lynnwood

Posted by glennled on September 17, 2015

Glenn (Taps) and Robert (Echo)

It was the same this year but not the same. Same national holiday, same place, same participating organizations, same order of events, etc. But when it came to sounding “Echo Taps,” this was the first time that one of my trumpet students, Robert, was ending his senior year in high school and planning to attend college in the fall. Farewell to Inglemoor High School in Kenmore and hello to Washington State University in Pullman–a big leap for a young man!

This is the second time he sounded “Echo Taps” with me at this place–please see my post of 19 June 2014. For more about Memorial Day, please see my posts of 18 August 2015, 1 June 2013, 2 June 2012, and 3 June 2011 in the Archives (left).

All photos by Nancy MacDonald unless otherwise marked. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.

: Martin Spani, USMC (Ret.), Master of Ceremonies

: “Welcome,” by Nicola Smith, Mayor, City of Lynnwood

: “God Bless America,” Northwest Jr. Pipe Band, Kevin Auld, Director

: Jim Smith, former Lynnwood City Councilman, sang “Ballad of the Green Berets” and “America the Beautiful”

: Myra Rintamak, escorted by Frank Martinez, lays the Gold Star Mothers’ Wreath

: Glenn Ledbetter, “Echo Taps,” 5-25-’15. Photo by Janelle Squires.

: Glenn Ledbetter sounds “Echo Taps” on Getzen Field Trumpet (bugle)

: Glenn, Robert, and his parents

: Three relatives…

: Comrades gather around the flag

Posted in Ceremonies & Celebrations | Tagged: Assembly, bugle, echo taps, Getzen Field Trumpet, Inglemoor High School, To the Color, trumpet, Washington State University | Leave a Comment »

“To the Color” with Girl Scouts Color Guard at Pacific Little League Day, 25 April 2015

Posted by glennled on May 4, 2015

Washington District 1 and Northwest Little League Champions, comprised of Pacific Little League All-Stars, played in 2014 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Washington District 1 and Northwest Little League Champions, comprised of Pacific Little League All-Stars, played in the 2014 Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Is there a future Seattle Mariners baseball star in the Pacific Little League? The huge crowd in Lynnwood on 25 April 2015, might reasonably hope so, given the exceptionally strong performance of its All-Stars last year when they played in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Celebration of their significant accomplishment highlighted this year’s Pacific Little League Day.

Glenn Ledbetter, VFW Post 1040 Bugler, sounds “To the Color”

And for the fourth year in a row, I was privileged to participate by sounding “To The Color,” this time on my new Getzen bugle, while Girl Scout Troop #44193 presented the colors to the hundreds of players and their fans at Harry H. Moore Field, Lynndale Park.

Every season opening is filled with excitement and hope, for “every day is a new day, with no mistakes in it,” as Anne of Green Gables says in the movie. For more information about and photos of the very special Pacific Little League, this venue, and this annual event, see my previous blog posts of 22 May 2012, 26 May 2013, and 7 June 2014.

Unless otherwise identified, these photos are by Carol Sheldon, Michelle Corsi, and Nancy MacDonald. Please click on any photo to enlarge it.