Legion band receives generous gift
Lisha Van Nieuwenhove
The Uxbridge Legion Pipes and Drums Band can’t say that only bills and flyers come in the mail. Earlier this month, a card containing a substantial gift arrived in the band’s mailbox
According to Nathan Maskerine, Pipe Major for the band, the band was about to head off to Douglas Crossing to do a rehearsal for the residents. Before they left, however, Drum Major Lew Gregor decided to check the mail, which contained the above mentioned card.
“We opened it up and there were 10 crisp $100 bills inside! To the Uxbridge Legion Pipes and Drums, this is a big deal!” says Maskerine. “It was completely anonymous, it just says “from a grateful veteran.” There’s no return address, but it looked to have been mailed in Uxbridge.”
Maskerine says the band had been fundraising for the purchase of a new bass drum (as pictured below), and that this donation will go towards drum supplies and drum instruction.
“We have ongoing costs for lessons,” explains Maskerine. The band offers lessons at no charge for both the bagpipes and the drums. They do pay the instructors for the lessons so that “quality instruction is ensured,” and Maskerine says this donation would cover a year of drum instruction.
“We are completely self-sufficient, he says. “We rely on donations from the community and the Legion, as well as parade income. Things like this, they matter. A lot. And it’s another reason why Uxbridge is such a great community. We’re extremely grateful.”
The Uxbridge Legion Pipes and Drums Band began in 1967, and is always advertising for more students, although Maskerine says some people are surprised when they learn about them.
“In today’s economy, money doesn’t go far, and this is an excellent family engagement activity!”
Lessons are every Monday, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Piping lessons have two instructors (beginner and intermediate), as do the drum lessons. Maskerine points out that there are multiple generations in the current band - Peter Brown is a piper, his daughter, Siobhan, is bass drummer, and her daughter is on snare drum. The band boasts 20 pipers and six “consistent” drummers.
To learn more about the band, and lessons, visit uxbridgepipeband.com; click on the email link for lessons.
The Uxbridge Pipes and Drums Band will be at the Uxbridge Scottish Festival this weekend.