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Troopers Celebrate Marching Music Day with Raffle of Nostalgic Replica Drum
- Mar 4, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: May 3, 2025
Casper, WY - Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps is marching forth on Marching Music Day by opening a special fundraising effort honoring the art of yesterday’s percussion.
The 1970s championship-winning Troopers - with their custom rope drums - hold a special place in drum corps lore. Percussion history buffs can now make a connection to that Troopers’ legend thanks to a unique donation from a generous alumnus.
Beginning March 4th, the Troopers are holding a limited-time raffle for an intricately recreated rope drum. Tickets sales are now open via the Troopers website for chances to win this thoughtfully crafted replica.
This special offering was lovingly curated by a Troopers’ percussion alumnus and former participant in the Troopers Legacy Corps. The drum is an exact reproduction of the drums the Troopers used in 1970 for the corps’ championship performances that year.
“Because there are not really many options to have an original rope drum, I knew I could create a great reproduction,” shared Michael Jedd, a 1972 rook-out with Troopercussion who was also on the road with the corps in 1970 when the ensemble received the specially-commissioned drums. “I actually had two made, and I thought donating one would be a good way to give back to the corps,” Jedd added.
Jedd spent time searching for some of the necessary parts and ultimately had an important pulley mechanism custom made and chrome plated. The drum’s authentic artwork was painted by Virginia Wilkos-Stafford, an artist who has worked on drums for the U.S. Army Band and 3rd Infantry Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps.
Chances to win this special reproduction item celebrating corps history are available via online raffle. Tickets are now on sale for $10 per entry. The deadline for purchasing raffle tickets is April 30th. The drawing will be conducted by members of the Troopers’ 2025 battery at the corps’ May camp.
The winner will be responsible for shipping or picking up the drum, along with any associated costs.
All proceeds benefit Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps.
"The vintage rope drums of the early 1970s are an iconic part of Troopers history, representing a golden era of innovation and excellence in our organization. These custom-made drums, famously seen in the 1969 documentary The Troopers Are Coming, were instrumental in our championship performances and have remained a symbol of our corps' legacy. Over the years, they’ve made special appearances in solo features, from 1990, 2004, and as recently as 2018, keeping their unique sound alive. This meticulously crafted replica allows us to reconnect with that tradition and share it with a new generation of fans." – Michael Gough, Executive Director, Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps
UPDATE: This raffle ended on April 30th and the winner was drawn at the May Camp on May 3rd. Congratulations to alum Gary Shockey of Casper, Wyoming!
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