He was in Kingsmen, she was in Velvet Knights – both met while doing the Kingsmen Alumni Corps back in 2007 (click here to read that story) here’s how they became Renegades:
In 2007, I (Madge) was the Chairman of the Kingsmen Alumni Corps PPC (Party Planning Committee), and five from this group (#6, Deb Peterson, already being in NorCal) made our way to San Francisco to march the Chinese New Year Parade with the Renegades. Non-stop frivolity was the order of the weekend, centered around jello shots (both making and eating!!). Ray joined this particular journey in 2008 (the beginning of the Sultan’s Harem), and we’ve been involved with CNY ever since. In 2009, after finishing our season with the Kingsmen Senior Corps and celebrating our first anniversary with a ten-day trip to my home state of Colorado, we heard that there were openings in the soprano line for the Renegades. While we initially hesitated, due to $$$$ having been spent so far that summer, we realized a golden opportunity had once again been dropped at our doorstep (one we missed the year before). So, we took the leap and jumped in the pool.
We spent the three weekends prior to DCA driving back and forth from SoCal for rehearsals. Ray learned the entire show by Family Day (with the help of a bunch of great people!!!), and I stepped into the Honor Guard. Those four weeks were beyond incredible, and getting to experience DCA for the first time as members of the Renegades….well, words can’t begin to describe!!! Thus, we were back for more in 2010 starting with Open House in December. While Ray stepped back into a soprano spot, I made the move to the Pit (and I’m lovin’ it!!!). We’re not only glad to be marching, we’re stoked to be able to march with such a fun, focused corps as the Renegades.
Our time in the Renegades has brought some of the fondest memories we’ve spent in drum corps. We both garner so much enjoyment being with such quality people both on and off the field. ROCK ON GADES!!!!
Jenn Russell is a first year member in the color guard who has never marched junior corps – here is the scoop on how she joined:
I had done color guard from 7th grade all the way through high school, including marching band, but decided to take a break (at peak junior corps age…) and see what else was out there upon reaching college. At Cal Poly, I joined the spring dance program and made dancing my focus.
Two years pass and around my junior year I began coaching color guard at Templeton High School under the direction of David Landers. Coaching it soon made me realize how much I missed performing it.
Two more years pass and I grew tired of hearing my co-workers (David Landers, Zach Hubbard, and Mike Heckmann) walk around rehearsals talking about cool Renegades stuff and me, of course, not having a clue what they were talking about. “If you want to know then join” was a frequent response to my questions. I really wasn’t sure, but they made it sound like such a good time…
I decided to consider it. So, open house for 2010 season rolled around and they had successfully convinced me to try it out. Try it out…right…I think it’s impossible to show up to a Renegades event and not be instantly hooked! The members were so welcoming and their excitement for the program was contagious! I knew from that moment that I had made the right choice.
Landers had always said that I was a “lifelong Renegade who just doesn’t know it yet.”
Many thanks to Charlie Groh for capturing so many great shots of us at these two shows – you can see more and purchase prints of these photos at http://www.marchingpix.com/
