October began on a soggy note as we took part in the misty morning celebrating the centennial of the Stoneham Fire Dept.  Along with members of the Greater Boston Pipes & Drums we proudly if not slightly wet marched down Main Street in Stoneham to the Fire Dept headquarters.  A shout out to our newest side drummer Ralph Morrison as he as he successfully handled the side drummer duties solo.  A job well done also to the Stoneham FD for putting together a great program including the mobile 9/11 museum which made its Massachusetts debut that day.  Pipe Major Rick Tustin, Drum Sgt Bill Stone, Pipers Jonathan Kinney and Jason Kennedy and side drummer Ralph Morrison took part in this event

Our congratulations to MFA Recruit Class 248 as they graduated from the academy on October 3rd.  It was our honor and pleasure again to lead in the 32 graduates of the 10 week recruit training program.  Pipe Major Rick Tustin, Pipe Sgt Don Parsons and Piper Bryan Bedard had the honors of playing for this class.

Oct 9th Pipe Major Rick Tustin assisted the B.S.A.  Spirit of Adventure Council Scouting’s Outdoor Adventure on the River, AKA S.O.A.R. Jamboree on the banks of the Charles River.  PM Tustin led a contingent of Scout Troops from their base camp to the main stage for the opening ceremony on Saturday morning.  As luck would have it the weather did not cooperate and liquid sunshine was the order of the day.  Never the less the show went on and the Scouts smartly fell in line and made the march with PM Tustin piping and leading the way.  Later PM Tustin would play again as a prelude to the musical segment of the event.  We applaud the B.S.A. and the Spirit of Adventure Council for putting on a great event despite the weather and to their commitment to bring outdoor adventures to our youth.

Members of the band will be performing during a Celtic Church service on the evening of October 16th at the First Congregational Church in Billerica, our temporary practice home.  We look forward to this event as our thanks for the hospitality the church has shown us in opening their doors and giving us a spot to practice.

We are recruiting, check out the join our crew link on the right side of the page for more information on how you too can take part in all of these events.  No experience is required, just a passion to play.