The Preston Scout House Alumni Drill Team Story

      The Preston Scout House Alumni Drill Team was formed in the fall of 1993 to do a onetime performance at the Great Alliance of Seniors (GAS) Reunion, hosted by Preston Scout House, on May 13, 1994.  The site for the performance was the Duncan MacIntosh Centre in Cambridge.

      The Drill Team kept alive the tradition of the Preston Scout House Band’s original unique marching maneuvers such as The Slow March, Wooden Soldiers, Hi Lily Hi Lo, high stepping and the shoulder-heigh arm swing.

      This performance resulted in the Drill Team receiving several invitations to perform its routine at other venues. The Drill Team decided to stay together for the remainder of the season.  In order to buy uniforms, the members sold hot dogs outside a local grocery store, had garage sales, and did whatever they could to raise money.  Its first set of flags was obtained by writing letters to the governments of every province requesting each province’s provincial flag.  Other equipment was either donated or made by the members.

      Most of the taped music the Drill Team marches to was recorded by the Preston Scout House Band in the 1950s and 1960s or was recorded by today’s present Preston Scout House Alumni Band.  The Alumni Band was formed in 1998 and first performed in 1999.  It was a direct result of the Drill Team’s efforts in laying the groundwork that started the Preston Scout House Alumni Band.

      Since that time, the Drill Team has performed its routine 60 + times since that first display in 1994, throughout Canada and in the United States.  It has had more than 50 members pass through its ranks.  Presently, the average age of the marching members is about 61 years. Two members of the original Drill Team still perform today:  Gary Tones and Mike Young.  All members of the Drill Team are also part of the Scout House Alumni Band.

Details by Grant Robertson (swinging tenor)

Updated:  July 12th, 2009