CEO Message September 6th, 2024
From Russ Gavin - VMAPA CEO
One year ago, I was presented with the opportunity to serve Vanguard Music and Performing Arts as CEO. At that time, the organization had not announced intentions to participate in the 2024 tour, and there were far more questions than answers about the future of this special place. Sitting here one year later, I am proud of the things we have accomplished, and I am proud of the things we are building for the future. I will continue sharing some of those exciting updates in the coming months, but today I want to acknowledge and celebrate the people I have had the pleasure of sharing this journey alongside.
When things are challenging, I find there are two types of people. Those who stand back, and those who step up. The current administrative and operational team at VMAPA is a collection of those who stepped up when this organization was at its most fragile position. CFO Jennifer Bauman worked diligently to pay down debts and strategize around future revenue and expenses. Corp Director Gio Bastante steadily guided our designers, caption heads, staff, and members through uncertainty. Director of Human Resources Andrew Nguyen held together the backend operational tasks of both our bingo operation and drum corps, as both evolved to be more efficient and sustainable. Director of Marketing Eddie Montoya worked tirelessly to make sure our bingo operation grew, our drum corps told its stories, and our members were provided priceless pictures and videos of what we hope is one of the most amazing summers of their lives. Bingo Manager Duncan Holladay opened our new game in Redwood City, while elevating our game in Santa Clara, managing a team that now runs seven sessions a week. Fleet Manager Kale Duprey oversaw getting our vehicles and driving team back up and running at full speed as we managed the longest tour in DCI. Operations Manager Hao Duong guided countless elements of our daily operations, supporting everything from bingo to instrument acquisition and a million things in between. Tour Manager Julia Meadows helped us secure facilities, launch an educational clinic, and support our housing coordinators.
These one sentence descriptors do not do any of these folks justice, as I could type endlessly about the ways each contributed this past year. This organization runs seven days a week, every week of the year, and these are the folks moving the gears that have allowed the organization to survive. As the newest member of the team, I am grateful to be surrounded by this group, and if you care about the Santa Clara Vanguard, it is important you know they are the ones doing the quiet, heavy lifting that allows us to be the elite organization we take pride in.
It has been a great first year as CEO of this organization, and I can’t wait for you all to see what we get to do next!
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SCV Program Update
From Gio Bastante - SCV Corps Director
Celebration a Successful 2024 Season
I am so fortunate to be able to report a successful end to our 2024 return to the field. This past summer, our staff, members, and volunteers pushed through the seemingly impossible and brought back the Vanguard magic to fans across the country. Our fleet carefully transported our personnel and equipment over 9,000 miles from Idaho to Indiana where the Santa Clara Vanguard wowed crowds in 16 states. The membership performed an incredible production put together by our extremely talented creative team and polished by the elite educators on our staff, ending the season with a score of 93.925 and winning the Fred Sanford Best Percussion Award.
On Sunday, August 11th, following our memorable finals performance, we came together as a corps to celebrate the season at our annual end-of-season banquet. It was a bittersweet morning where we reminisced on a season to remember filled with both adversity and success. We had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate individuals who excel and overcame difficulties throughout their summer journey. Please join me in congratulating the following banquet award recipients:
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Most Improved
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Color Guard: Kevin Sandoval and Jaila Lamarche
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Brass: Ben Belcher and Bee Brannick
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Visual: Alex Lopez and Joey Jenkins
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Battery: The Bassline (Beau Bavousett, Eli Gruse, Oscar Hansen, Joseph “JZ” Zimmermann, Thomas Osborne)
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Front Ensemble: Lauren Rooke
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Most Outstanding
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Color Guard: Alysha Garcia Melendez (flag), Grace Madrinan (sabre), Austin Pierce (rifle), Jackson Neely (performer)
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Brass: Emily Holland and Kayla Smith
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Rookie of the Year
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Color Guard: Colin Burns and Katie Sightler
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Brass: Isaiah Odierno and Noah Switz
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Visual: Ben Belcher and Evan Cramer
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Battery: Brayden Haslam
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Front Ensemble: Harrison Hamre
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Golden Foot Visual Award
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Color Guard: Jarrett Rampley and Ben Lanier
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Brass: Sydney Ortega, Kayla Smith, and Austin Abad
The 2024 season was certainly one of the best seasons I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of and I cannot wait to continue this journey in leading this corps in 2025. Thank you to everyone who supported and believed in us to make these dreams a reality.
Joining me in 2025 are our caption managers and designers that brought us “Vagabond” in 2024. This team is strong and ready to dive in head first to continue building the legacy that is the Santa Clara Vanguard. We are also ready and eager to welcome the 2025 cast of members, new and returning. With auditions soon approaching, we encourage you to visit our website and fill out the interest form to be the first to get audition packet information, camp dates, and more!
https://www.scvanguard.org/scv25/
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Alumni Association Update
Ashley Miller-Dykeman, VAA Secretary
The Vanguard Alumni Association officers want to thank all of our alumni who contributed money and time during the 2024 drum corps season, whether through writing a letter to marching members, contributing to our Sweet Treat fundraiser, volunteering with the corps, attending a show, or just posting your support online. The VAA Officers had an incredible time meeting with alumni over the summer and watching our corps blow everyone away. To the members that have officially aged out: we welcome you to our alumni ranks!
Alumni Association monthly meetings and committee meetings will be returning in October. To stay updated on our meeting schedule, upcoming officer openings, ways to get involved, and other VAA updates, we recommend joining the official VAA Facebook group and subscribing to the Alumni Association newsletter - the Vanguard Star.
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Hall of Fame Committee Announcements
We are pleased to announce that Diane Corbett Esparza will be joining the Hall of Fame Committee HOFC) effective January 2025. Recently inducted last July, Diane became eligible to serve on the committee. Appointed by Russ Gavin, Diane will serve for a 3 year term. For those that may not know Diane, we have included the link to her Hall of Fame (HOF) induction video which was presented at the July 4th event held at the SCV Hall. The link is below, please enjoy!
Diane Corbett Esparza -12:45 minutes: https://youtu.be/p1IjcNmD9qo
Diane is not new to the HOF process as she has been a member of the Screening and Selection Committee (SASC) since its inception in 2022. We welcome Diane’s experience, as we continue to build awareness and improve on the HOF nomination process.
This organizational change results in an opening on the SASC which brings us to the second part of this announcement. We are excited to announce that Julianna Martin will assume the remaining 3 years of Diane Corbett Esparza’s term on the SASC effective January 2025.
Julianna performed with the Vanguard Cadets from 2002-2004 and 2006-2007. From 2006-2007, Julianna was the trumpet section leader, soloist and horn sergeant (2007).
Julianna has supported the VMAPA organization through her numerous volunteer efforts including: Bingo (2008); VAA Treasurer (2019-2022); Ms Amana Camp Volunteer (2021-2022); and as project leader for the Historical Society’s SCVC 2002 Decades Project. During her time with the VAA, she was involved in VAA’s event planning and fundraising, alumni letter writing campaigns, and alumni feedback survey.
During the 50th Anniversary SCVAC, Julianna served as the Brass Administer, working closely with Scott Pierson (director) and the brass staff. In this role, she was responsible for the music digitization, organization, distribution and email communication, where she ensured music was up-to-date and distributed to members before all camps and rehearsals. In addition to her administrative responsibilities, she performed with the SCVAC up through the Stanford performance.
Julianna was born and raised in the South Bay Area, and still lives there with her husband and young family. She works in stormwater management in local government for the past 8 years. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family, read, knit, craft, and participate in local community events.
We are very excited with the addition of Diane and Julianna to the HOF committees as we begin preparations for the 2025 nomination period (January 1st – February 15th). If you have any questions as to how to nominate someone to the VMAPA HOF, please contact the HOFC at hof@scvangaurd.org.
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In Memoriam
It is with a great deal of sadness that we share with our Vanguard family the passing of one of our most recent Vanguard Hall of Fame inductees, Gloria Madrid-Flores. Gloria passed away on August 4, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was a wonderful woman, who has given so much to the Vanguard organization, and she will be greatly missed.
Gloria and her husband, John, began their involvement with the Santa Clara Vanguard (SCV) in 1979 when their son, Joey, joined the corps. They became members of the Booster Club and began helping out by working Bingo. That then developed into other volunteer opportunities along the way, which they embraced to the fullest, always happy to lend a hand.
Gloria utilized her skills as a Marketing Manager to the benefit of SCV. She excelled at writing and enjoyed talking with people, so took on Public Relations for the organization. This was followed by assuming the role of Event Coordinator and eventually she and John went on to take on the oversight of the Vanguard sponsored Pacific Procession Drum & Bugle Corps contest for several years. Gloria was inducted, along with John, into the VMAPA Hall of Fame at this year’s induction ceremony held on July 4, 2024.
We are grateful for all of the hard work that both Gloria and John put into the Vanguard organization over the years. She always had a smile on her face and truly enjoyed giving her time and energy to the Santa Clara Vanguard.
We wish her family strength in the days ahead and solace in the memories they shared together.
Services for Gloria have been scheduled as follows:
JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF
GLORIA MADRID-FLORES
12/14/1941 – 08/04/2024
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2024
SERVICE AT 11:00 AM
Five Wounds Portuguese National Parish
1375 E Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95116
FOLLOWED BY BURIAL SERVICE
Santa Clara Mission Cemetery
490 Lincoln St
Santa Clara, CA 95050
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1994 Vanguard - uploaded by Eddie Montoya
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Exciting Updates on the Decades Project!
From The Vanguard Historical Society Team
We are thrilled to share the latest developments in our Decades Project, a transformative initiative aimed at capturing and preserving the rich history of Santa Clara Vanguard through the lens of its defining decades. This ambitious project not only celebrates our past but also connects our heritage with the present and future generations.
Our dedicated team of volunteers has been hard at work conducting interviews with alumni in each of the years ending in 4. These oral histories are already proving to be a treasure trove of fascinating stories and insights. Highlights from recent interviews include that Clowns was first played on the field in 1974 and that women first joined the hornline in 1984.
Stay tuned for excerpts and full interviews, which will be rolled out throughout the fall.
We need your pictures!
Our archives are growing rapidly, thanks to generous uploads from alumni. Please continue to upload your pictures on the Vanguard Historical Society website.
These items are being carefully cataloged and are used to celebrate OUR history.
Interested in helping with the 5’s?
The Decades Project continues to thrive due to the incredible support of our volunteers. We have completed the 1’s, 2’s, and 3’s. The 4’s videos will roll out this fall. We will now be needing help with the 5’s! If you are interested in helping, please complete this quick Survey. We plan to start the 5’s in January.
Ways you can help include:
Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for the Decades Project. Together, we’re preserving the stories that shape our community’s identity and fostering a deeper appreciation for our shared history.
Warm regards,
The Vanguard Historical Society Team
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Dates to Remember
- VMAPA Alumni Association Monthly Meeting Wednesday, October, 2nd @ 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm PST. You can join the zoom meeting here.
- Vanguard Historical Society's Decades Project "The Fours" Meeting Monday, September 9th @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm PST.
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Do you have any stories and news you want to share?
Would you like to contribute to The Vanguard Voice?
Email media@scvanguard.org.
Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe to Vanguard news and announcements here.
Follow up on our social platforms below!
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