Chris asked me “if you don’t make it see the corps again, what would you like me to say to them?”
Here we go …
Cavalier love …
Scripture teaches us that God knows and loves us before we are even formed in the womb. I’m realizing that this also describes the love of one Cavalier for another.
Roughly ten years ago, my daughter was competing in the Chicago triathlon. As I was walking through the immense crowd of spectators and competitors, from 20 yards away, I heard a lone voice yell “SPLOOIE! and saw a dark haired young man wearing the same “Splooie shirt coming towards me. I’d never met him before nor since. I didn’t get his name, yet we both enthusiastically embraced as if I was embracing my son or youngest brother whom I had not seen in years. I loved him and I know he loved me. We exchanged marching years and brief info and he apologized for having to run to catch his friends. I marched in the 70’s and he in the late nineties, we had nothing in common yet everything as Cavaliers. As “Cavalier Scripture” says we loved each other before we ever met and as ridiculous as it sounds, before we were formed.
A young or new Cavalier can’t understand this yet but he will. Being a Cavalier is the greatest blessing I’ve ever received other than my wife and children. I love you … all of you. I know you love me. I have felt the blessings of your love over these las few weeks in profound ways and I’m grateful.
Championships, winning, losing, the thrill of victory and the crushing anguish of defeat … but always with class and dignity of wearing the green. It’s all part of the transformation from strangers to life-long friends. We share an indescribable bond that can never be taken from us.
We are the Green Machine, the long green line. Above all, We are the corps, and we carry that love from the moment we slip on our corps jacket even though it’s 95 degrees and that love only intensifies until we pass over that special rainbow that is uniquely Cavalier.
Thank you for loving me and allowing me the privilege of placing my hand on your shoulder and expressing our love and special bond for and with each other.
“We are the Corps …” – Gary Moore
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Mitch posted a copy of instructions for initiates. The last thing listed was to write an essay about why you wanted to be a Cavalier. I grew in a great family but without resources and I was faced with marching or going to college. I couldn’t afford to do both. I regret not being initiated and aging out, but I just could not. If I could go back snd do it over, here is what I might have written.
Why I want to be a Cavalier.
I felt since the first moment a saw the Cavaliers in 1965 that I wanted … no, I yearned to be a part of this incredible organization. My dream came true in 1972 and being part of this fraternity influences me still forty-eight years later.
I marched in the foot prints of former great Cavaliers. As a young member of a small corps in Kankakee, our horn line was taught by the “Swamy,” Tom Castens. His stories of being a Cavalier were my first inspirations. Then in 1970, Douglas Lindt walked into my life as my drum instructor and my destiny was set. Doug was a student at VanderCook College of Music and a Cavalier, and I decided I wanted to be just like him.
I wanted to be a Cavalier because I wanted to be influenced and learn from Don Warren, Sal Ferrara, Paul Litteau, and Larry McCormick. Unfortunately, Larry retired at the end of the 1971 and a parade of instructors came in and out throughout the year but I was fortunate to March with Donald Kolenda’ Don McWhorter, Paul Milano, Paul Leo and many others who modeled for me how to play, march and act like a Cavalier. Sometimes, frightening, sometimes crude, and other times hilarious, but regardless the example was set.
The final reason I wanted to be a Cavalier was because of the brotherhood. I remember the first time the corps circled up to sing at the end of the first rehearsal. I stood off the the side, not knowing what to do. Dan Heeres walked over and asked, “Do you want to be a Cavalier?” I shyly responded, “yes.” He put his arm around me and brought me to the circle and he put his hand on my shoulder. I sang the corps song for the first time and cried.
I love The Cavaliers and I love you all. – Gary Moore
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