People, Places & Events

Tyler White joins prestigious band
Madison Scouts gets baritone player
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–2008 Mabank High School graduate Tyler White, 19, is training with the renown Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps in Wisconsin.
He is the first Mabank graduate to gain membership in the prestigious all-male precision marching corps.
He’s attending an intensive summer camp, from May 22 through Aug 1, learning this year’s exhibition numbers to present on national tour. He will also compete at the Drum Corp International (DCI) championship being held in San Antonio July 18.
The son of Elise and Kelly White, Tyler plays the euphonium, or baritone. He is studying to become a high school band director.
Tyler first heard of the Madison Scouts from a fellow Trinity Valley Community College band member following its fall auditions. The corps was still short some members, and Tyler was invited to try out.
Membership involves attending monthly weekend rehearsals in Wisconsin throughout the year, a commitment Tyler has kept by using his earnings as a grocery bagger at Brookshire’s grocery in Mabank.
The Madison Scouts is registered with the Boy Scouts of America as Venturers, and is founded on character building, discipline, leadership and healthy and moral living.
Though all four of the White siblings have proven musical ability, only Tyler is training to use his professionally. His two older siblings have followed their parents’ vocation in nursing.
But all four have marked their affinity for music with a small musical note tattoo behind their right ear, denoting an “ear for music,” Elise White said.
Though musical, the Whites say Tyler had to practice diligently to reach his goals. Elise White remembers once as a youngster, Tyler had practiced on his baritone until his lips bled.
“This just doesn’t come easy for him. He practices and practices. He’s just tenacious,” she said.
Besides baritone, Tyler also plays bass guitar, the trombone and has studied a little piano.
Tyler’s family is very proud of his accomplishments and they are all looking forward to attending the competition in San Antonio.
“Words just can’t describe the thrill of seeing these elite bands perform and compete,” Kelly said.
Tickets are through TicketMaster; group rate discounts are available.

Fisher House gets donation
Special to The Monitor
PAYNE SPRINGS–The Fisher House™ was a recent recipient of a $2,000 donation in honor of Cedar Creek Veteran’s Foundation and the Pinnacle Women’s Club (PWC).
This program, originating in 1990, provides a no-cost “home away from home” to military families whose loved ones are hospitalized.
These “comfort homes” are built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers, and since inception, have provided three million days of lodging to more than 120,000 military families.
“This worthwhile organization fills a need, beyond the assistance provided by the Department of Defense and the Veteran’s Administration, by enabling families to be close by to offer much needed tender living care for the wounded soldiers,
PWC philanthropy chairman Colleen Hinckley said.
 

Arbor Day booklet helps with tree ID
Special to The Monitor
NEBRASKA CITY, Neb.–The Arbor Day Foundation is offering a fun and easy-to-use free identification booklet to help people identify trees in a simple step-by-step process.
What Tree Is That? features advanced, hand-drawn botanical illustrations highlighting the distinctive characteristics of many tree species.
Recreational and professional arborists alike have called this pocket field guide one of the most user-friendly resources to have at their fingertips.
Its beautiful, full-color illustrations are in precise detail to depict natural colors, shapes and textures, so users can make a positive species identification in just a few easy steps.
The Arbor Day Foundation now offers this booklet to help people identify trees in Texas and throughout the Eastern and Central regions of the United States.
The booklet uses a unique step-by-step approach to identify the species of each tree, from explaining what to look for in the shape of the leaves and differences in the leaf stems and twig structures, to specifics on the fruits and flowers and the details of buds and bark.
What Tree Is That? is also available as an on-line interactive version at www.arborday.org.
The Arbor Day Foundation offers this unique, one-of-a-kind on-line tool so people can identify trees using the Internet.
To obtain a tree identification guide in full color, send your name and address and $5 for each guide to What Tree Is That,? Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410.
You can also order the book on-line at www.arborday.org.