In 2020, the Aberdeen Central marching band was slated to march in the National Memorial Day Parade in D.C., but their plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this Memorial Day, they finally realized their goal of reaching the nation's capital.
A total of 74 members of the Aberdeen Central marching band will be marching along Constitution Avenue on Monday, playing a medley of patriotic tunes arranged under the title "A Matter of Red, White, and Blue."
Departing from Aberdeen on Thursday, the band spent the weekend exploring the sights. Jeremy Schutter, the band's director, shared his thoughts on the significance of such an experience for his students.
“It gets you out of your comfort zone of being in South Dakota. This certainly puts you onto a national stage. We’re performing for, really, nearly half our state’s population with what will be in attendance of this parade,” said Schutter.
Kabel Ringgenberg, a recently graduated senior and alto saxophone player, expressed excitement about visiting the nation's capital for the first time."I think the thing I’m most excited about is seeing everything as we march by, especially on Constitution Avenue. It’s amazing to march past all the famous memorials you always see on the news, the White House, and everything like that. I’m just thrilled to not only see it but to experience it from the perspective of marching because I think that will make it a lot more fun,” said Ringgenberg.
The meaning behind the parade is also deeply personal for Ringgenberg.
“It means so much to me because my grandpa served in the military, and many people in my family have served. Being able to honor their legacy and their dedication to the United States, trying to protect the values we have as U.S. citizens, is important to me. As a high school student, it’s nice to be able to go out and, while not to the same extreme, show what they’re protecting and honor them for all the sacrifices they’ve made in their lives,” said Ringgenberg. Read More..
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