Darby band takes top honors at show

At a tournament in Grove City, Ohio, the Hilliard Darby Marching Band won 10 trophies on Saturday, including Overall Grand Champion.

Of course, we know they couldn't have done it without Chris and Stephanie! (Look closely, they're both in the picture above.)

Annual Walk to End Alzheimer's approaching

Our team at last year's walk

With October almost here (gaak!) the time is approaching for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer's. Shanna is once again leading our family team in the New York City walk, October 19 at Riverside Park.

Click to go to our family team page

"Since 2009, our family has been involved in the Walk," Shanna says. "We have surpassed our fundraising goal every year, and hopefully raised awareness. We plan to do it all again in 2014 in memory and honor of my Grandma."

If you'd like to take part and/or help with a donation, please visit our team page. Thanks!

Visiting Lizzie at Elon University

Tish sends along these photos from Elon University's Family Weekend.

Daughter Lizzie is now a sophomore at the North Carolina school.

Seeing Andy & the band at U. of New Haven

On "Family Day" at the University of New Haven, freshman Andy was visited by his parents, Dan and Julie, his sister, Christine, and girlfriend, Shannon.

They saw Andy and the UNH Chargers Marching Band perform their halftime show at the school's blue-turfed stadium.



As at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, Andy's a member of the drum line, playing a set of tenor drums.

The band's uniforms include a stylized image of a horse, the Chargers' symbol.

The band's performance of its Superman-themed show was accompanied by a football game, which the Division II Chargers lost to the Greyhounds from Assumption College in Worcester, Mass.

Here's a video that another band family member or fan posted of Saturday's show. (For a larger view, click the YouTube or Full Screen button.)

Chris & Stephanie and their 'Superior' band

Marching band season continues for Chris and Stephanie. These photos are from Friday night, when they helped cheer the Hilliard Darby HS football team to victory and played the halftime show. Above, Chris lifts his sax in the air at the front of his section. Below, Stephanie on clarinet during the show.

The next day, the band took part in a competition held at a nearby high school, and their show, "The Midnight Ride," earned a "superior" rating from the judges.

A parent posted this video. Chris is one of the recorded narrators - he's heard at the beginning ("Listen my children and you shall hear..."), again at the start of the second segment ("If the British march from the tower tonight..." and near the end ("so through the night rode Paul Revere...").

Viewing and creating works of art

Dolores and Hugh were busy last week with a visit to Winterthur in Delaware and a "paint-off" in Western Maryland.

On Wednesday, Hugh reports, they joined a coach tour sponsored by Trinity Church to tour Winterthur, the family estate of three generations of the DuPont family. The 1,000-acre estate and its mansion are preserved as gardens and a museum. "The current exhibits are a wonderful show of antique needlework and an exhibit of the costumes from the TV show 'Downton Abbey.' Both were worth the trip," Hugh writes.

Dolores adds that she and Hugh have never watched "Downton Abbey." "Everyone (on the trip) was all gaga about it, and some were appalled that we had not seen the show!

"Anyway, we really enjoyed the day," Dolores adds. "We saw the fantastic costumes, which were really presented with great style. An adjoining gallery had a marvelous show of New England 18th Century embroidery, so that was a real bonus!"

The next day they decamped to their home at Deep Creek Lake, and on Saturday, Dolores went to Grantville, Md., to Spruce Forest Artisan's Village at Penn Alps for a day of plein air painting. It was the "second annual" event; Dolores also participated in the first, which was held to mark the 200th anniversary of the stone-arch Casselman River Bridge. "I guess they aren't waiting for another 200 years," Dolores remarked.

About a dozen artists took part in the event. Dolores notes that such events are "now a BIG deal. I am invited to plein air events about once a month now. I have worked outdoors for over 35 years, and now suddenly it's a 'plein air event!'

"I painted one of the buildings in pastel. It all fell into place nicely as I worked, and to my complete surprise, I won second prize."

A charity run and a family visit on Cape Cod

It was another busy weekend for the Cape Cod branch of the family. Tish and Gerrit both ran in the annual Mighty Meehan 5K race, a benefit for leukemia research.

The weekend also saw a little family get-together, as Owen's cousin Nanette paid a visit from Shelter Island.

Halftime is performance time, in Ohio and Conn.

The University of New Haven Marching Band made its football-season debut this weekend in Connecticut, with Andy on the tenor-drum line. Meanwhile in Ohio, the Hilliard Darby High School marching band played its second half-time show of the year.

Cathy sent along these game-day photos of freshman Stephanie and senior Christopher.

And from West Haven, Conn., we have these photos of Andy at the UNH Chargers' Division II home opener. Dan and Julie weren't at the game, but these were posted on the band fan club's photo-sharing site. Some are from practice, some from warm-ups and a couple from the halftime show.



The marchers did not wear their uniforms on Saturday due to the hot, humid conditions - hence the t-shirts and shorts.