November 22, 2007
Methodist Church Marching Band

Photo by Joanne Maranville Pacific Express Parade Corps

By Dave Maxwell

Caliente’s Methodist Church has a marching group. Pastor John Martinez says the group called the Pacific Express Parade Corps is made up of a Tall Flag unit, drum and bell corps and a clown corps. He said one day they hope to even add a brass ensemble.

Group members are mostly elementary and high school students. Martinez said the group is an ecumenical project and is open to anyone interested. “Anyone who wants to participate in an artistic endeavor.”

The group began last April after Martinez and Tammy Osborne talked about their own involvements in marching groups/bands in college and high school. John said he was in a marching band and later served as a high school band instructor, drum and bugle director and youth band director in the San Diego area. “There are not a lot of recreational opportunities for our children in Lincoln County,” he said, “so we started this group. It’s really grown a lot faster and is a lot more advanced than we thought it would be after these few short months, in terms of membership and the ability of the kids who participate. The Parade Corps is providing an opportunity for the children of our community to do something that requires excellence. What they learn, they’ll keep for a lifetime,” he said.

To date, the Corps has participated in six events in Southern Nevada, and won a trophy at the Fall Festival Parade in Pahrump. “Next summer,” John said, “we will be going to Southern California for some competition parades in La Habra and Big Bear, the first weekend in August 2008.”

There are 25 members in the Corps ranging in age from five years old to seniors in high school. The instructional staff consists of Tammy Osborne, head drum instructor and Jennifer Keller, mallet/keyboard instructor. Lilly Gomez teaches bass drum, Diane Martinez teaches Tall Flags and Dorothy Buddy is leader of the Clown Corps.

Rehearsals for musicians are held after school on Wednesday and/or Friday afternoons in Panaca.

John said the brass ensemble that is part of the group is going to put on a Christmas performance and hymn sing along December 19 in the Lynx Lair at Lincoln County High School.

For more information about the group and lessons for beginners, call Pastor John at 775-962-1808, or simply show up at any of the rehearsals. Anyone interested in being a sponsor or supporter is also encouraged to call.