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Pipes & Drums
By Noble Jimm Simon
f we’re lucky, then we’ll never use
it and it will be the biggest waste
Iof money the band ever authorized.
Alternatively, it could be the
best investment we’ve ever made and
it might save a life. I’m talking, of
course, about the automatic external
defibrillator (AED) recently purchased
by the Pipes & Drums and
installed in the Shrine House for use
by anyone who uses the building. The
AED serves as a virtually foolproof
heart monitor. If the AED detects cardiac
arrest, then it provides the user
with a step-by-step guide to resuscitate
the person in distress. Much
credit should be given to the Pipes &
Drums executive for taking this
proactive step. The band has also purchased
a second unit for us to take on
trips and to parades.
This is a busy time of year for
those of us in the Pipes & Drums. Following
our annual dinner and elections,
we get right down to the business
of fielding requests for our services
and practicing for our big events.
HARRY ROSENBAUM
LAW OFFICE
Although it is not an official band function,
we always make a good showing
at the annual St. Andrews Society
Burns dinner. This formal and highly
entertaining event is a personal highlight
on my social calendar and is just
one of many Burns suppers in which
band members participate as haggis
bearers, pipers, or giving the address
to the Haggis. We end up supporting
the efforts of several lodges and concordant
bodies at Burns and other formal
events such as being the musical
accompaniment for the March ceremonies
for the Daughters of the Nile.
We also provide service to a number
of other local charities and fundraising
events. For example, “the Georges”
have, for many years, played at
the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation
fundraising gala in February. For
decades, the Khartum Pipes & Drums
have played at the opening ceremonies
of the MCA bonspiel. Later in the
year, we will also be participating in at
least one of the Canadian Cancer Society
Relay for Life events. Lastly, we’re
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starting to field requests from seniors’
homes and condominiums including
the Winnipeg Canoe Club. It is this
contribution back to the community
that sets us apart from many other
pipe bands and what motivates many
of us to stay involved.
Just because
”
we aren’t busy
enough, we’re also hosting our own
social event in early April. The gathering
of the Clans includes entertainment
by pipers, drummers, dancers,
and singers. You should be reading
this just about the same time the event
is happening so I can’t report how it
went, but I know the committee is putting
a lot into the event.
And finally, as I write, we are
beginning to make plans to reunite
with nobles from several other Shrine
centers, as we plan not one or two but
three major trips to the USA. In March,
we’re off to our annual piping and
drumming workshop in Fargo ND. In
the past, this event has drawn Shrine
pipers from anywhere within a 6-hour
driving radius. This year, we’re hoping
that this workshop will be a
tuneup for our planned trip to the Midwest
in Duluth. I’ve been in conversation
with the pipe major of Aad
Shriners since February and the Midwest
is going to be a great event with
lots of high profile performances for
massed pipes & drums bands.
In between those trips, we are gearing
up for our twenty-ninth annual trip
to Sioux Falls SD for St. Patrick’s Day. It
is a true privilege for the band to be
engaged in this huge event and is, as I
say every year, the highlight of our calendar.
The members of El Riad treat us
very well and the Sioux Falls Chamber
of Commerce have been more than generous
for nearly three decades of sponsorship
and friendship.
That’s the way the year is shaping
up for us. If you think you’d like to join
us, here is your chance. We are always
looking for eager members and we’ll
give you free lessons if you’re willing
to put in the work. We practice at
Shrine House every Monday night at 7
P.M. Come down and see us or e-mail
me directly at jimm@mbtartan.ca.