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List of Names, Top
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Bill Kane
Corps VP, Baritone
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Bill marched
with Toronto Optimists from
1965-1969. In addition he's
instructed, Toronto Optimists,
St. Johns, Brantford, and the
Optimists Alumni. Bill's been in the Alumni Corps since its inception. |
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List of Names, Top
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Bob Carell
Mellophone
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Bob marched with
Toronto Optimists from 1963
through 1967. In the guard
in '63, he usually carried
the Optimist
Club flag. He played
soprano from 1964-67. In
1976-77 he drove the
equipment truck for Seneca,
cooked, etc. Bob joined the Alumni Corps
in 2004. |
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List of Names, Top
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Bob Keenan
Soprano
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Bob marched with
the Optimists from early to mid 60's. He
started on snare, then guard,
baritone, soprano. He played
euphonium in Commanders. |
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Brian Byrne
Corps Treasurer
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Brian
began his drum corps career
on French Horn with Grantham
Drum & Bugle Corps, 1960 to 1965;
played French Horn with Toronto Optimists
in 1966 & 1967 and Mellophone in 1968
and 1969. He was in the Alumni Corps
at its inception and was Drum
Major in 2005. Today, he's
corps treasurer. |
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Brian Hogan
Associate
Member |
Only drum
corps ever belong to - the Optimists.
Marched 1969 to '73. Instructed
drill for two years. Charter
member of Optimists Alumni.
Played baritone and selected
to be Drum Major for 2007. |
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Carol Munro
Executive, Bass
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I marched
in Optimist Lancers for 5
years as a Snare drummer and
in Oakland Crusaders for 5
years on Keyboards. I also
instructed Oakland Crusaders
& Emerald Knights on & off
over the years. In addition
to playing bass in the
Alumni Corps, I've been a
drummer for Sunnybrook Court
Jesters for 20 years. We did
the Sunnybrook Court
Christmas Parade as well as
Birthdays, parades, and are
the Toronto Children's Aid
Christmas Party House band. |
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Clare Reid
Support Staff, Associate
Member
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Clare
began in 1949 at Western
Tech and was lead soprano
player, instructor and then
Director, Brass & drill
instructor as well as Drum
Major for Parkdale Lions All
Girl Drum Corps. He was also
the Director of Optimists
Lancers, President of the
Ontario and Canadian Drum
Corps Associations and
Timing Judge with the
Canadian Judges Assoc. Clare
assisted Don Daber with the
Optimists Junior Corps and
he’s been with the Optimists
Alumni from inception, serving on its first
Board of Directors for 4
years and assisting the
Founders with its formation
and growth. |
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List of Names, Top
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Dave Kirton
Associate
Member
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In his younger
days, Dave played soprano with
York Lions. He started off playing
soprano in the Alumni Corps,
then moved to Mellophone.
Now he's enjoying himself
in Thailand. |
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Dave Johns
Guard
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David was in
the Toronto Region Trumpet
Band from 1956 to 1958 when
he joined The Don Mills Sky
Raiders. He played snare
from 1958 to 1960. He really
wanted to join The Optimists
and did so in the spring of
1961. David was a member of
the colour guard that first
year and from 1962-1964 he
played base drum. He was
Drum major for a short time
in 1965. David helped Don
Daber with publicity as a
photographer until 1967.
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List of Names, Top
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Don Daber
Member Emiritus
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An integral
part of the Optimists organization
for over 40 years, serving as
publicity director and photographer
for both Toronto Optimists and
Seneca Optimists. He's also
served as Corps Director of
Toronto Optimists.
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List of Names, Top
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Ed Wilson
Baritone
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Marched with
Belleville Yardmen, 1973-1974;
Kingston Grenadiers, 1975-1976;
Rochester Crusaders, 1978; Kingston
Grenadiers 1984-87; Empire Statesman
1987; Kingston Grenadiers from
1994 to 1996. |
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List of Names, Top
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Frans Rood
Colour Guard
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Frans started in
1957 on Tenor Drum/Bass in Columbus
Drum Corps; he played Bass Drum in
Optimists
from 1960-1963. In 1967 he was
the Corps photographer and CDCA
Photographer. Frans joined the Alumni
Corps in Nov. 2005. |
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List of Names, Top
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Gaelen Swartz
Quints
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I joined
the Optimist Alumni in 2005
as a cymbal player and I've
been a Quint player since
2006. I love drumming and
never stop. And I always
seem to get into trouble
with the old people. At the
moment I'm trying to start a
drumline with my school. |
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List of Names, Top
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Jack Roberts
Drill Instructor,
Soprano
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Jack was
with the Grantham
Police Boys Band form 1957 to '62,
then
Optimists in '63. After
that he became the drill
designer & instructor for Optimists. |
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List of Names, Top
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Jason Filipchuk
Contra
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I marched
with the Cadets of Dutch Boy
(87-90) & Dutch Boy (91) (we
were 13 in the world that year,
missing the top 12 by four tenths
of a points). I joined the
Alumni corps in 2004. |
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List of Names, Top
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Joe Gianna
Soprano
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Danforth
Crusaders 1956-58; Toronto
Optimists 1958-63 playing
lead soprano. I also spent
some years teaching together
with Barry and some years
with The Optimist Club of
York Toronto (the Sponsoring
body of the corps after the
downtown Optimist Club,
declared that they could no
longer afford to sponsor the
corps), a couple of years as
president of the club, and
was around when Seneca
Optimists came into being
and for a few years after. |
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List of Names, Top
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John Giblin
Bass
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John marched
with Mighty Grantham from 1962-65;
with St. Catharines Chessman,
1966-68 and Burlington Commanders,
1971-72. In the Alumni Corps
since 2005. |
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List of Names, Top
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John Petti
Baritone
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John marched
with Columbus Boys, 1961-1963;
Golden Monarchs, 1964; De La
Salle, 1965-1968; Ambassadors,
1969; Toronto Signals, 2003-2004;
Kawartha Kavaliers, 2005-2006
and joined Optimists Alumni,
2006 |
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John Shearer
Alto
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Soprano with
the "Toronto Region Scout Band",
1957-58; soprano with the Optimist
Bantam Corps from 1958-60; soprano
with Toronto Optimists from
1961-1965; equipment manager
for Toronto Optimists from 1966-67
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John Swartz
Drum Instructor, Snare
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Marched with:
Marching Diplomats, 1971; Bluewater
Buccaneers 1973-75 and Oakland
Crusaders 1977-80. Taught: Bluewater
Buccaneers, Port Huron Northern
High School, Port Huron, Michigan
Bad Axe high school, Bad Axe,
Michigan Glassmen, Oakland Crusaders,
Canadian Knights |
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Len Perrin
President, Mellophone
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I was always
with Optimists, 1957 Jr. B National
Champs; 1958 Jr. A Champs. French
Horn for 4 years, and spent
2 years in Guard. Highlight
was Nationals in 1958. We were
so new and everyone loved us;
then 1962 when we beat the first
top U.S. Corps, Blessed Sacrament.
A great way to begin and end
my time in the Green. Been
with the Alumni Corps since
it began. |
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List of Names, Top
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Mel Dey
Contra
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Marched in
an air cadet band around '57;
Leaside Lions Jungle Kings '58-'59;
Optimists 1960-62; Jesters (Sr.)
'63; Commanders (Sr) '64 to
'69 and Optimist Alumni '02
to present |
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List of Names, Top
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Mike Lang
Baritone
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Mike was
with Michael Power Knights
from 1966-1969 and the
Etobicoke Crusaders,
1969-1971. Over the years
Mike has been a member of
the Colour Guard as well as
playing Euphonium, Contra
Bass and Baritone. He's been
a member of the Alumni Corps
since 2002 and plays
baritone. |
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List of Names, Top
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Paul Blanchard
Baritone
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Paul
played French Horn and
marched with Hamilton
Conqueror from 1960 through
1964. He joined the
Optimists Alumni Corps in
January, 2006 and plays
Baritone. |
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Paul Thompson
Corps Secretary
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St Michael's
College High School Band; Toronto
Optimists from 1963-1973; Weston
Silver Band; 411 Squadron Air
Force Concert Band; the Metropolitan
United Church Band and Alumni
from 2003 till present. |
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List of Names, Top
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Peter McCusker
Soprano
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Peter marched
with Guelph Opti-Knights from
1966-1971; the Toronto Optimists,
1972-1973 and joined the Alumni
corps in 2007. He worked as
a professional photo journalist
and is now a freelance photographer
in the GTA. |
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List of Names, Top
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Phil Hennings
Mellophone
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Member of
the Scout Band, Opti-Corps and
Toronto Optimists from 1955-1960,
played soprano from 1955-1957
and was Drum Major from 1958-1960.
Today Phil plays Mellophone
in the Alumni Corps |
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List of Names, Top
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Ric Brown
Bass
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Ric
marched with the Toronto
Optimists from 1969 to 1975
including guard, rifle,
cymbals and bass drum. He
had a management role with
the Seneca Optimists in 1976
and was Assistant Director
in 1977/1978.
He's an original member of
Optimists Alumni Association
and one of four founders of
The Optimists Alumni Drum
Corps |
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List of Names, Top
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Rick Lang
Soprano
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Rick's
history includes the Michael
Power Knights 1966-1969;
Etobicoke Crusaders
1970-1972 and Uncle John's
Dirty Secret 1971-1974. He's
been a member of the Alumni
Corps since January, 2006. |
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List of Names, Top
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Rick Robida
Contra
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Rick has been
a member of the Optimists
Alumni since its inception.
He was a member of the
Toronto Optimists and last
marched in Junior
Competition in 1963. Rick
started with the Grantham
Township Police Boys Band
when they were formed in the
mid 1950s. He also marched
with the Merritton
Grenadiers, the Merritton
Buccaneers and the Guelph
Royalaires. |
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List of Names, Top
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Rod Patterson
Snare
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Rod played snare with
the Scarborough Firefighters
and the Seneca Princemen. |
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List of Names, Top
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Ron Smith
Guard
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Ron Smith was
discovered by Warren Berger
in the wilds of Omemee.
While Ron has no previous
experience with either Drum
Corps or bands, Warren's
tales filled him with
enthusiasm. Ron is now
carrying a flag in the guard. |
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List of Names, Top
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Toby Frechette
Colour Guard
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Toby
played Soprano/Baritone with
Optimist Lancers from
1969-1971, Baritone with
Toronto Optimists from
1971-1975 and baritone with
Seneca Optimists
from1976-1977. He joined the
Optimists Alumni in 2005 and
played Soprano in 2005 &
2006. In 2007 he played
Baritone then joined the
Colour Guard. |
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List of Names, Top
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Warren Berger
Soprano
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Verral L.O.L.
Trumpet Band 1950 - 1952; Western
Tech 1954 - 56; Optimist 1958-61;
Jesters 1962; Commanders 1963-69.
Alumni corps since its inception.
Always played lead soprano.
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List of Names, Top |
William
Porquet
Soprano
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William
began his drum corps career
in Junior High School as the
youngest (and still
shortest) horn player with
the Sydney Firefighters
Marching Band in Nova
Scotia. In the summers
between university semesters
he marched with the Fortress
of Louisbourg Drum & Fife
Corps from 1993-1997,
playing and teaching fife,
and occasionally filling in
as duty drummer. While
working at Fortress
Louisbourg, he trained with
John C. Moon (Drummer to the
Royal Household, former Drum
Major of the Scots Guards,
Drum Major at Colonial
Williamsburg, and
incidentally uncle and
rudiments teacher to Keith
Moon, drummer for The Who). |
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