A full year on the road.
The spring began with six parades in a fortnight — Belmar, Hamilton, Rumson, Union, South Amboy and Monmouth County — followed by Tartan Day events in April. Memorial Day took the band to Bradley Beach, Freehold and the Red Bank ceremony, and June brought the Elk's Parade at Wildwood, Flag Day at Fort Monmouth and at the Red Bank Elks, and the Ocean Grove Independence Parade in July. November was the fullest month of the year: the Marine Corps 250th birthday celebrations in Philadelphia on the 10th, the Veterans Day ceremony at Riverside Gardens Park on the 11th, and the rededication of all 117 Signal Corps monuments at Fort Monmouth on the 14th.
Alongside the playing, the band co-sponsored two blood drives with Red Bank Elks Lodge #233, visited local schools, and raised money through the St. Patrick's party in March and Raise Your Glass in June — both directed towards sending veterans and serving members to Normandy for the 85th anniversary of D-Day.
This program is made possible in part by funds from Monmouth Arts, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners.