June 11th- Rocky:This is a special edition. Currently writing this in my car headed back to Indy. Had to leave for a day, but we’ll talk about that later.So everyone does drum corps for a reason. Doing this activity requires many sacrifices whether physical, emotional, etc. It’s not easy putting everything on hold and leaving the real world for 3 months. However, everyone has something that makes the sacrifice worth it. Something they think of when they’re in the heat of it all, a reason they literally pay money to get yelled at in the hot sun over and over again, 12 hours a day for 3 months. Last year, my inspiration (and inspiration to drum in general) was all the little kids that are inspired and look up to what we do. I used to be the little high school bando who watched DCI fan network in awe at what these drum corps are capable of. My senior year of high school I was section leader from bass 5 of 4 freshmen who had never marched anything before, let alone played bass drum in a competitive marching band and world class indoor drumline as I had. They couldn’t even carry the drums for an entire rehearsal in the beginning, but I took them under my wing. I shared my passion with them, and thus made them want to practice and want to get better. I taught them everything I knew at the time. It wasn’t easy. We worked our butts off, but in the end, we became the best bassline that my high school marching band had ever had. We would get more compliments and positive comments from our percussion director than the snare and tenor line (“upper battery) that consisted of mainly juniors and seniors. Last summer those kids were my inspiration to march. Whenever I was having a rough block, I’d think of them and how I didn’t want to let them down.This year, however, I dedicated my summer to someone else I met through my high school marching band. Her name was Beth Curtis (I called her Mama Molnar), and she was the band mom of a kid in the drumline. In marching band she was my ins with the band moms. She’d always hook me up with extra food on performance days, give me an extra Gatorade, etc. She was always so happy to see us having fun doing what we loved and would always do what she could to make it even more enjoyable. However, after I graduated she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She went through numerous surgeries and rounds of chemo in order to try and combat it. They even removed a third of her digestive system in one surgery. I was with her every step of the way. She would get treatment at the U of M hospital near where I go to school and I would always go and see her when I could. Every time I came home I’d make going to her house a priority. The best part was that despite everything that she had been through, every time she saw me she instantly perked up. She was always quick to ask me how drum corps was or how indoor was going. She always encouraged us to do what we love and do what we enjoy and she loved watching us do just that. Anyways, the exact day I was getting ready to come down to early move ins I got a call from her husband that they just found out that the cancer had spread to her liver and was terminal. They gave her 4-6 months to live at most. So that day I picked up some flowers and went to the hospital with all my tour stuff in the trunk. I came into her room and despite being exhausted with several IVs and tubes going in and out of her, she had the biggest smile on her face. The first thing out of her mouth was “when do you leave?!”. We talked about how she could follow us. How the regionals had live streams etc. and I could see her when I got back and cook her the brunch I had been promising her since last Christmas. Going to see her that day meant the world to her. Jordan Tumminello (a member of the pit who marched in high school with me) and I told her that we would be wearing purple shoelaces in her honor this summer. It meant a lot to her to know that there were people thinking about her. I remember holding her hand, comforting her, and giving her the biggest hug I could without hurting her before I left. It was very emotional, but through it all she remained strong and happy. Long story short I got a call Sunday that things went downhill fast and she passed away late that morning. Little did I know that that day in the hospital three weeks ago would be the last time I’d ever see her. She truly was a second mom to me. I talked to her about everything. Band, school, girls, you name it. She was one of the most positive, happy people I have ever met. She inspired people to be tough and follow their dreams. I am fortunate enough to have been able to come home for her funeral, and thus is be able to write this. So this summer I’m marching for her. Every step I make I’m doing it for her and I’ve got the purple lace now in memory of the woman that she was. I met her through this activity and now do this activity in her honor. She will always be my mama and will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace Beth A. Curtis.