- November 7, 2024
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Coastal Florida Police & Fire Pipes and Drums performed at the "Halfway to St. Patrick' s Day" event in September at the Palm Coast Elks Lodge. Courtesy photos
Drum Major Vinnie Gough and Pipe Major John Kelly at the Palm Coast Elk' s Lodge in September.
Like many of us, Jack Kelly screens calls from phone numbers he doesn’t recognize. So when the 202 area code of Washington D.C. showed up on his phone in December, he let it go to voicemail, except they didn’t leave a message; instead, the same number immediately called his cell phone.
The caller was from the Presidential Inauguration Committee, notifying him that Coastal Florida Police & Fire Pipes & Drums, based out of Palm Coast, had been selected to march in the 58th Inaugural Parade on January 20.
Kelly, the pipe major for the pipes and drums band, submitted the application for consideration after an off-hand comment following the group’s weekly practice at the Portuguese American Club.
“We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great to march in the Inauguration Parade,” Drum Major Vinnie Gough said. “Jack took it more seriously, and submitted the initial application without telling us.”
To the group’s surprise they made it through various application stages, and Gov. Rick Scott sent his recommendation to the inauguration committee.
“We were really surprised when we heard back,” Gough said. “They usually get around two to three thousand applications from bands. We were going to march whoever won, we’re not a political group. We are doing this for historical reasons. It’s a great honor.”
Group members had all but given up being invited to participate when Kelly received the call that they were one of four pipes and drums bands marching in the event.
“Thirty-two (members) will march,” Gough said. “We are going up with 38, counting the drivers, color guard, banner carriers and a photographer.”
The band will play “Scotland the Brave” in front of the reviewing stand at the White House, in memory of President Trump’s mother who was born in Scotland.
“Vinnie will give a nice, crisp salute, and then it will be over, our 15 minutes of fame,” Kelly said.
Since the band learned of their good fortune, they have been trying to raise a small one to pay for their trip.
“It is up to the bands to pay for their own transportation and lodging,” Gough said. “We are a warm weather band and it’s going to be cold, so we are also going to have to buy additional uniform items for the weather.”
Gough said that these trips typically cost bands anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000.
“We wheeled and dealed, and pinched some pennies, and have gotten our cost down to about $35,000 to $40,000,” Gough said.
On Sunday, Jan. 8, the band will have a fundraiser, performing at three stops in Flagler County, to give local residents an idea of what the inaugural performance will be like, increase exposure for the group, and hopefully collect some donations.
“We are going to perform at each venue,” Danielle Pierro, a tenor drummer, and the only female in the group, said. “We did get a $2,500 anonymous donation from a Washington D.C. supporter who wants to challenge Palm Coast businesses and residents to try and beat that.”
Pierro said she had been introduced to the donor, who was so excited they had been accepted, immediately wrote a check with the provision of anonymity.
The group, primarily made up of active duty and retired law enforcement and fire fighters, performs at funerals and retirement ceremonies. Most recently, they performed at the service for Nassau County Sheriff’s Deputy Eric Oliver, who was killed in the line of duty. Oliver was one of 140 police officers and 88 firefighters killed in 2016.
“We are dedicating our march this year to fallen officers and firefighters,” Kelly said. “Each piper and drummer will have a couple of mourning pennants on their pipes.”
Flagler County firefighter Lt. John Keppler, a tenor drummer, will also carry his own list. Keppler’s father John Keppler Jr., also a Flagler County firefighter, died in the line of duty in 2002.
“I’m a member of the fallen firefighter support group and we are a big family,” Keppler said. “It’s the family no one wants to be in, but you are happy to be in it because of the support.”
Keppler said the support group was pleased the band would bring the names of the fallen in 2016 to the parade, but many wanted their loved ones also included.
“Being that my father was a fallen firefighter, I will bring the names of all the fallen first responders with me,” he said tapping his heart. “Every time I think about my dad, I think about everyone else that has fallen in the line of duty.”
Before heading home, the band hopes to have time to see some of the nation’s capital.
“Hopefully after parade we will be able to go around with the photographer and take shots in front of different monuments,” Kelly said. “We are going to be bragging about this for the next 20 years so I want photo proof.”
