THE ALEPPO TEMPLE (AAONMS) SHRINE
ORIENTAL BAND NEWS FOR THE YEAR
2006
The above is the official logo of the Aleppo
Temple (AAONMS) Oriental Band.
The year 2006 got off to a good start with new leadership
and the enthusiasm that generally comes along with such a change. Our first
showing was at a CEREMONIAL in January and we made a credible showing there and
were well received. The January Ceremonial is traditionally the time when the
new POTENTATE and OFFICERS of Aleppo Temple are installed and we would like to
CONGRATULATE the new DIVAN (Officers) on their accomplishment. We look forward
to an enjoyable year with them and wish them the best in their
administration.
Snowbird fever (the tendency of people to flock to warmer
climates during our winters) took its toll on our rehearsals for a period of
time during the beginning of the year, but things eventually changed as the
flock headed home.
On February 16, 2006, the BAND held its ANNUAL
BUSINESS MEETING and reports were heard as to our position and as to some future
plans for the year. All seems to be in order and we are looking forward to a
good year.
Towards the end of February, the BAND was informed that the
BLACK CAMEL had visited the OSHRY residence and had taken BELLA OSHRY to the
SUBLIME OASIS. BELLA was a sweetheart of a lady who will be missed by all who
knew her. Her surviving husband, LESTER, is also a gem in our BAND (and a great
musette player) and we wish him the best in these and all future
times.
On April 1, 2006, the BAND performed for a DAUGHTERS OF THE NILE
installation in Wakefield, Massachusetts. The individual who was installed that
day had requested our presence because the BAND had performed for the
installation of her mother several years ago and she felt that the BAND
performance added something to that installation which she wanted to experience
and bring back for her installation. The BAND occasionally does such events and
it was our pleasure to accept the invitation to participate. There was a nice
turnout of BAND members and we all enjoyed the event and had a pleasant time
there as well.
On April 17, 2006, the Oriental Band commenced its more
formal parade schedule by returning to and participating in the Patriot's Day
Parade in Lexington, Massachusetts. We enjoyed doing the Parade and the crowd
enthusiastically welcomed us back after a six year hiatus. The weather was a bit
on the brisk, gloomy, and foreboding side but that did not dampen the enthusiasm
of the crowd or of the BAND and nothing really came of the weather so it turned
into an ideal marching day, if not a little on the cool side. We, nonetheless,
did miss doing the Arlington, Massachusetts Parade this year and hope that, in
the future, we may return to the days when we do Arlington in the morning and
Lexington in the afternoon. Patriot's Day commemorates early encounters (at
Lexington, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts) of the American
Revolutionary War. It also incorporates tribute to the "great midnight ride of
Paul Revere" which is recreated for the Holiday and which winds its way from the
area of Boston, Massachusetts along a route that takes it through Arlington,
Massachusetts and Lexington, Massachusetts towards Concord, Massachusetts and
this year was no exception as PAUL REVERE'S arrival immediately preceded the
Lexington Parade. The Holiday provides a great opportunity to see history
recreated - whether it be the ride of Paul Revere or the recreations of the
Battles held on Lexington Green or at the Old North Bridge in Concord. And, if
the spirit (and your legs) should so move you, you could alternatively
participate in the Boston Marathon which is traditionally run on that day as
well. We were happy with what we did for the day by way of our performance and
hope that we added to the happiness that others took from their celebration of
the day. It was also nice to see some of our snowbirds starting to return to our
fold and participating. In addition, two enthusiastic prospective new members
followed the BAND throughout the Parade - we look forward to the day when they
will be joining us on the streets and hope that will happen in short time. A
highlight (or low-light, depending on how you may want to view it) of the Parade
was one of our members losing his pants while marching - some of us go to
extremes to entertain! Our uniforms have cummerbunds which act, to a certain
extent, as belts and which are secured with velcro. If one makes some wrong
moves or does not secure his cummerbund appropriately, then they do occasionally
release. Just as we were turning into the center of Lexington and a few hundred
yards from the Lexington Police Station, a cummerbund let go. Once that happens,
it is almost inevitable as to what happens next and, a few shorts steps later,
down went the pants. Fortunately it was a cool day and the member was
appropriately clad underneath, but everyone (including some of the onlookers)
had a good laugh and the member made a great recovery and everyone just took it
in stride and moved on. We knew we were safe when we made it past the Police
Station without further incident. We would also like to take note of the
presence of the GRAND MASTER of Massachusetts in the Parade along with a large
contingent of Grand Lodge Officers and local Blue Lodge Officers. The current
GRAND MASTER is a resident of Lexington and a local businessman. Lexington is
also the hometown of WEBSHEIK(c) and he is uncertain whether everyone came out
to see him personally, the GRAND MASTER, or all the other Parade participants -
as a BAND, we have decided to let WEBSHEIK(c) wallow in his delusion!
Alternative Holidays which also occurred on April 17, 2006 precluded a
BAND get together after the Lexington Parade.
Conflicting personal and
college graduation schedules precluded our appearing at the NEWTON MASSACHUSETTS
PARADE on May 21, 2006.
On May 24, 2006, the BAND was informed that the
BLACK CAMEL had visited the residence of JOHN KELLEY and had taken BARBARA
KELLEY to the SUBLIME OASIS. BARBARA was a dedicated and loyal supporter of the
BAND and her sideline presence will be missed. We all wish the KELLEY FAMILY the
best in these and all future times.
Due to circumstances beyond our
control, we were unable to participate in the Somerville, Massachusetts Parade
on May 28, 2006 and the Wilmington, Massachusetts Parade on May 29,
2006.
LESTER OSHRY on
The OCCASION OF HIS RECEIPT OF A JOSEPH WARREN MEDAL - JUNE 6, 2006
On
June 6, 2006, several members of the BAND travelled to BLUE HILL (Masonic) LODGE
in CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS to partake of and witness the presentation of a JOSEPH
WARREN MEDAL to LESTER OSHRY, a member of the BAND. The Joseph Warren Medal is
one of the highest awards that the GRAND LODGE OF MASSACHUSETTS bestows upon its
brethren. All had a wonderful time at the event and all agreed that LESTER was
truly deserving of the honor. Our CONGRATULATIONS are extended to LESTER and his
family on the occasion of this accomplishment.
WHAT A WEEKEND! On
Saturday, June 10, 2006 we participated in a Shrine Ceremonial (Initiation) in
Wilmington, Massachusetts. The schedule of a Ceremonial generally is such that
the initiation of new inductees takes place early in the day. That allows the
new members to better partake of the festivities of the rest of the day more
fully - it also has some other ramifications. As mentioned previously, we have
had two individuals interested in joining the BAND but who had not been formally
initiated. Once initiated, they were able to formally join and they did so with
enthusiasm and were able to participate in the afternoon events of the
Ceremonial with the BAND. One of the new members, having some musical skill,
took to the musette as if he had been born with one in his mouth and the other
new member is currently in our percussion section. We had a nice turnout at the
Ceremonial and the addition of the two new members made our presence and
performance just that much more impressive. EVERYONE had a good word to say
about our performance. A warm welcome to the BAND is extended to JAMES HONOHAN,
SR. and MICHAEL G. TUCKER. IN ADDITION, we received applications from two other
inductees expressing interest in joining the BAND. We look forward to their
eventual participation with us as well.
On Sunday, June 11, 2006, the
rains of the past month or so ceased, and the BAND returned to Wilmington,
Massachusetts to participate in the GRAND MASTER of MASSACHUSETTS' PICNIC (The
name had been changed from a FAIRE to a PICNIC because of some logistics
involved this year in having the event in Wilmington, Massachusetts rather than
in Charlton, Massachusetts). Our performance there in the morning was a brief
one, but everyone enjoyed it. Later, we made our way to SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS to
participate in a more formal parade in the afternoon. Our two new members joined
us and we would mark this as their first parade experience - we hope that they
enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed having them with us. The weather was a bit on
the cool side for the time of year and there were some fairly ominous clouds in
the sky but nothing happened. The route was plaqued by some fairly uneven roads
which made marching a bit difficult and it seemed like most people were taking
advantage of the break in the weather to do many outdoor things that had been
neglected otherwise. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the parade.
Our June 22,
2006 rehearsal saw an alumni of the BAND return to practice with us for the day.
DAVE WHITE, who had moved for business reasons, happened to be in the
neighborhood and dropped by for practice. It was good to see him and catch up on
things with him. Proving that once one catches the ORIENTAL BAND "BUG" you never
forget it, DAVE admirably picked up a bass drum and participated in our
rehearsal quite commendably. We were all happy to see DAVE and hope to see him
drop by again in the future. We would also like to remind him that four hour
commutes to practices are not really an excuse for not attending!
As a
result of our recent performances, we were recently approached by a local
television station to do a televised promotional performance. Details have not
been worked out yet, but we are hoping to put on an EMMY winning performance
when and if it does happen.
On July 25, 2006, several members of the BAND
participated, performed, and assisted at a SHRINE fundraising event at the NORTH
SHORE MALL in Peabody, Massachusetts. Everyone had a good time and all
appreciated that the effort was for a good cause.
On August 4, 2006, the
BAND was saddened to hear that the BLACK CAMEL had visited the COUILLARD
residence and had taken our fellow BAND MEMBER, PAUL COUILLARD, to the sublime
and eternal oasis. PAUL was a dedicated MEMBER of the BAND and will be
missed.
On August 5, 2006, the BAND got together for its ANNUAL SUMMER
OUTING in Gloucester, Massachusetts and had a most enjoyable time. Fish stories
are nothing compared to BAND revelry and we do our best to maintain our
standards and reputation so there is always a good time when we get together.
This year's outing nonetheless was tempered a bit by various conflicting events
and obligations and the recent news of the passing of PAUL COUILLARD (see
above).
On August 12, 2006, a number of members of the BAND attended a
Memorial Service for PAUL COUILLARD.
At our August 24, 2006, rehearsal
the BAND expressed great concern over the recent downgrading of the PLANET PLUTO
to the status of a "dwarf planet" by the INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
meeting in PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA. It was felt that the decision was a "GOOFY"
one which defied the laws of the UNIVERSE and that those members voting for the
change should be demoted to "dwarf member" status in the organization. We are
also greatly concerned over the potential consequences of the change and what
action PLUTO may take when it makes its next closest pass to PRAGUE. In the
meantime, we urge ALL PLUTONIANS and PLUTO LOVERS to seek appropriate redress
for the grievous injustice rendered by the downgrading before the next perigee
of PLUTO to PRAGUE or EARTH. Recognizing the limitations of NATIONAL and
INTERNATIONAL governing bodies to deal with the matter, we also urge the
creation of a UNITED UNIVERSAL BODIES ENTITY (UUBE)to deal with this and all
future inter-planetary and universal matters. The BAND stands ready to assist in
this matter and may be contacted by email, telepathically, or by such other
means of communication as are available, by appropriately credentialed
representatives of any planet, "dwarf planet", or any other universal body
capable of sustaining any form of life capable of communicating, sharing the
concerns, and seeking to participate. We look forward to hearing from
you.
NEITHER RAIN, NOR SNOW, NOR SLEET, NOR HAIL can keep the BAND away
from any charitable event designed to benefit SHRINE causes and September 3,
2006 proved to be no exception to that rule (one of our members even rushed back
from BERMUDA to make the event of the day). As the tail end of Hurricane Ernesto
made its way through the Northeast, the BAND, nonetheless made its way to
Amesbury, Massachusetts where it assisted in and participated in the Second
Annual Amesbury Firemans' Chilli Cook Off - the proceeds of which had been
pledged to the Aleppo Shrine Transportation Fund. Though the rain (fairly heavy
at times) may have dampened the setting, it did not dampen the spiciness of the
chilli, the enthusiasm of the crowd, or the turnout (well, maybe a little - we
really are not sure - this was our first time there and the crowd was quite
reasonable and enthusiastic) and everyone also enjoyed our entertainment efforts
even though the weather precluded our changing into our uniforms. The Cook Off
is an evolving new event for us and is the type of event that we would like to
see more of. The Chilli competition was intense as was the chilli itself and we
like to think that we spiced things up a bit too and made it all that more
enjoyable for everyone. Despite the rain, we had an enjoyable and productive
time and can only imagine what a clear day might have brought. NEXT YEAR -
AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS - BE THERE FOR THE CHILLI COOKOFF - BRING AN
ANTACID!
THE NESOBA 2006
BAND (FIRST PLACE FANTASY/FIRST PLACE PARADE/BEST OVERALL) - SEPTEMBER 16,
2006
THE NESOBA 2006
BEST DUET: ROB JOHNSON and JACK ZIMMERMAN - SEPTEMBER 16, 2006
WONDER OF
WONDERS, MIRACLE OF MIRACLES! Over the weekend of September 16, 2006, several
members of the BAND attended the NORTHEAST SHRINE ASSOCIATION FALL CONVENTION in
HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT and to their surprise found out that somehow the BAND had
been entered into the NORTHEAST SHRINE ORIENTAL BAND (NESOBA) COMPETITION.
Without any formal practice for such an undertaking and with a fairly sparse and
somewhat unbalanced BAND, the BAND nonetheless managed to prevail in its various
competitions and received a FIRST PLACE AWARD in FANTASY, a FIRST PLACE AWARD in
PARADE, a FIRST PLACE AWARD in the DUET COMPETITION (featuring ROB JOHNSON and
JACK ZIMMERMAN) and designation as BEST OVERALL BAND. The FIRST PLACE AWARD in
DUET continues a long tradition for the BAND which has never failed to win the
AWARD whenever it has competed for it. In addition to the satisfaction that was
taken from our competition results, those who attended had a great time at the
CONVENTION and the weather was ideal!
At our September 21, 2006
rehearsal, LESTER OSHRY was appointed ASSISTANT DIRECTOR of the BAND. All were
pleased with the appointment and we Congratulate LESTER accordingly.
On
October 7, 2006, the BAND participated in a Shrine Ceremonial in Wilmington,
Massachusetts. Events of the day went well and our continued display of renewed
enthusiam attracted two new potential candidates to our ranks. We are hopeful
that they will follow through on their intentions and look forward to eventually
welcoming them as members.
On October 9, 2006, we participated in the
Columbus Day Parade in East Boston, Massachusetts. This parade is easily one of
the longest parades that we do and one of the best attended ones. Columbus Day
is a big event in East Boston which has a large portion of its population which
can claim Italian heritage. The BAND had a good turnout and performed well and
it was enthusiastically received by the crowd. One relatively new member,
MICHAEL TUCKER, was at the head of the BAND with a gong and he displayed moves
that we have not seen in years which entertained us and the crowd. Suffice it to
say, we believe that we have found a replacement for the entertainment that both
George Shallah and Hiram Shorter used to bring to the streets and our
performances and we are encouraging MIKE to continue in his ways.
At our
November 2, 2006 rehearsal two new candidates appeared expressing interest in
joing the BAND. We are hopeful that they will enjoy their participation with us
and look forward to their comradery.
On November 4, 2006, we participated
in a Scottish Rite Consistory event. All appreciated our presence and we had a
good time there as well. We are hoping to do more such events in the future at
various levels of Masonic and collateral bodies and welcome requests from any
such bodies to perform for them.
We wrapped up the year with our ANNUAL
HOLIDAY PARTY which was held on December 2, 2006, in Falmouth, Massachusetts and
which was exceptionally well attended this year. The next day we participated in
a Holiday Parade in Falmouth and everyone was pleased to see us participating.
We had a good time in Falmouth and hope to do something similar next year as
well.
Following the FALMOUTH outing we took a break to accommodate the
many obligations of the HOLIDAY SEASON. It will be a shorter break than we
usually take because we are being called back early in JANUARY to rehearse for a
SHRINE CEREMONIAL to be held later that month.
ALL IN ALL, it was a very
good year for us. There was a new spirit in the BAND and we focused that on
rebuilding and strengthening efforts - and we succeeded at that. A quality 10%
increase in membership and award winning performances have cemented a solid
recovery for us and we look forward to the upcoming year with more optimism than
we have had in a few years.
WE THANK EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED OR HELPED
US IN ANY FASHION THIS YEAR; WISH THE BEST TO THEM AND EVERYONE ELSE; AND
ENCOURAGE ALL TO COME AND WATCH US PERFORM IN 2007 (WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING YOU).
The song which accompanies this PAGE is called
AVINU SHALOM. WEBSHEIK(c) humbly respects all rights to the song and no effort
is made hereby to circumvent those rights by including the song herein.
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