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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (March 1, 2009)
10 vernonia’s voice community march 2009 Our Trip To Washington DC to March in the Inaugural Parade Shawn Baker and her husband Dan-- members of the “Get A Life Marching Band” represented Vernonia at President Barak Obama’s Inaugural Parade in January. The Band was chosen as a last-minute alternate, and had to scramble to put together their trip. The “Get A Life Marching Band” is a group of adult band “geeks”, whose slogans include “We’d rather miss a note than a meal.” They are Vernonia favorites who have performed during Jamboree weekend the last two years. Because of the short notice for their trip, the group had very little time to fundraise and is still about $18,000 short of paying for their trip. They need your help. You can visit their website, www.getalifemb.org, to see more about the trip to DC, and visit their gift shop online at www.cafepress.com/GetALifeMB to help support the group. The following is a “blow by blow” travelogue of the Bakers trip to Washington, D.C. By Shawn Baker Much to my mother’s dismay, she picked us up at 2:00 AM to head to the Portland Airport on Sunday, January 18. I had not been on that long of a flight since I was 7 years old, so I was a little anxious. We landed in Philadelphia (this was the closest location to DC that we could find to stay) around 4:00 PM. We caught a shuttle and made it to our hotel by 5:30-- not that we were all that far away; it was just a challenge communicating with our driver! to Arlington. We walked down to the cemetery to find that it had closed an hour before our arrival. It was now 6:00 PM, and time to head back to the car, and back to Philly. What an amazing day. Thanks to Bill and Robin for the idea of renting a car to spend the day here! more. Had there not been a sign that said “parade starts here,” and all of the lighting that was in place, we would have had no idea that we were on the parade route. The parade had started late, and we found out later that if you attended the inauguration, it was difficult, if not impossible, to get to the parade. Dan and I were pretty disappointed at the lack of people in attendance, but really, we were there for just one reason, and that was to play for the President. We played non-stop until we reached the “si- lent zone” so that we could keep warm. Then the cameras were rolling, and it was our big moment. I was in the front row of the band, and ultimately 20 feet from the President and First Lady. They had big smiles on their fac- es-- they were dancing and waving at us. It was amazing. This was the reason we were here. We were fantastic!! We got back to our room at 10:30. We grabbed a fast bite of dinner, and got out all of our uniform pieces for the trip back to DC to perform in the The first thing I did was unpack and get the room organized. parade. Not knowing what traf- Luckily, I remembered everything! Yay me! We went fic would be like, our busses were downstairs to see who had arrived, and found a group that scheduled to leave the motel at 2:00 was going to McCormick and Schmick’s for dinner. Mr. AM. So, by the time we ate, orga- Schmick himself came to our final rehearsal in Portland and nized parade gear, and crawled in gave each person a coupon for a free cocktail and $10 off bed, it was 11:30. We had to be at of our meal. We all walked to the restaurant and the archi- the busses by 1:30, so that meant tecture we saw on the way there was amazing! We walked up by 12:30… That equaled a solid past City Hall, and the building just glowed! We had a one hour night’s sleep. We picked The parade route ended not too far from that nice meal, a foo-foo drink, and then began the walk back to up our boxed breakfast, crawled onto the bus, Barak and Michelle Obama enjoying the point, and we had to walk 2 miles back to the hotel. We went past and headed for our bus-- we were frozen and exhausted! We Philadelphia’s Hard Rock “Get a Life Marching Band” Wa s h i n g t o n , crawled back onto the bus and headed back Café, so of course we had DC, again. Amazingly enough, traf- to Philly. The motel had a pizza party waiting for us… it to go in! They had a gor- fic was non-existent,and we made it was 11:00 PM when we got there. The entire group hit geous stained glass wall, to the Pentagon (our check-in loca- the beer line!! Afterwards, any sane person would have so Dan had to go stand tion) in 3 and a half hours. We didn’t gone to bed and gotten some rest before heading back home next to Elvis and have have to check in until noon. For se- the next morning-- but not us. Dan and I and Leilani de- his picture taken. We got curity purposes, we were supposed cided that we wanted to see Independence Hall before our back to our room around to stay on our bus. There was one trip was over. We bundled up and headed out on foot in 11:00, and we were plan- point where we were allowed to walk search of these buildings… it was midnight. We were given ning to drive to D.C. to do over to The Pentagon Memorial. It incorrect directions as to the location, and stopped to talk some sightseeing the next was just dedicated in September of to a parking lot attendant, who gave us even worse direc- day, then return to Phila- 2007, and was such a solemn place. tions, and we ended up in some scary neighborhood. We delphia to sleep before There was a bench for each of the 184 turned around, giving up, and found a sign that pointed to the big day on Tuesday. people that died. Each bench had a the Hall. It was a beautiful brick building with security all Breakfast was at 6:00, trench of running water underneath it. around, and next to that was Congress Hall… the inaugura- and we were to leave at You could see the color change in the tion spot for Washington and Adams. Then, as the security 7:00, so the alarm got set stone which built the Pentagon, clear guard was telling us that we had to take the pictures from for 5:00 AM. Little did reminder of where the plane hit. across the street, we turned to see the Liberty Bell hanging we know that this would in a glass building. WOW! We could see be the night we got the At 2:00 PM, it from all sides, except the cracked side. most amount of sleep. Shawn and Dan Baker at the White House In Washington we finally We finally got back to the motel at 2:30 traveled to DC with the “Get a Life Marching got to head AM. I packed everything up when we got The drive to DC from DC. The Bakers Band” to play in the Inaugural Parade. to the secu- back, because we, of course, were on the Philly took us about early flight out. The cab was set to pick us 2 and a half hours. We got there around 10:30, and, not rity checkpoint. We had to clear up at 4:30 AM. We got to bed at 3, alarm knowing my way around Washington, I was immediately everything off of the bus, put was set for 4, and we got a call at 4:15 that lost. Luckily, Bill had been to DC before, so he was our our horns, as well as ourselves, the cab was waiting. Leilani shared the impromptu tour guide. We came out just behind a beauti- through security (like at the air- cab with us (another first for me… never ful brick building that looked like a palace. Turns out it port), while our bus was taken to a been in a cab before), and off we went to was part of the Smithsonian. I was taking pictures, and different location. There, they had Philly International. The flight home was Bill called the rest of us over his way. We went across a dogs go on and under to make sure uneventful. Mom picked us up, brought us gravel sidewalk, and I got goosebumps… I turned to Rob- everything was okay. We picked home, and I turned on the heater, crawled in and said, “I don’t know why, but I just got the chills.” up boxed lunches, and got back into bed, and crashed for 14 hours!! Of course, I still didn’t know where we were, and neither onto the bus. did she. So, we followed Bill out into this field, and he It was an unbelievable adventure, and I am points to our right. There stood the Capitol Building. To At sunset, we headed out to line so honored to have been able to share it our left was the Washington Monument. We were stand- up in the street. We were ready with my husband. It was a moment of a ing in the middle of the National Mall! The energy of that for the biggest performance of our lifetime that will not be forgotten. place was amazing! I’m really not into politics, but there lives! We walked… and kept wait- was something about standing in the middle of this city that ing to see the swarm of spectators. really affected me. After the Monument, we came to the And we walked more and waited The Bakers visit the Washington Monument WWII Memorial. It was beautiful, but very emotional. Robin and I both cried… I’m very thankful that she brought along tissue! nsurance for all your precious possessions. From there we walked through the Korean War and Vietnam Memorials. Both were very quiet places. After paying our respects there, we ended up at the Lincoln Memo- rial. Unfortunately, they closed it down just as we got there, so we didn’t get to go up the steps. Bummer. From there we walked toward the White House. That was the big- gest madhouse that we had seen that day. There were SO many people lined up there to take pictures. After lunch, we walked to Ford’s Theater, where Lincoln was shot. It was closed due to renovation, but the house where he died (across the street from the theater) was open. From there we went into the Air and Space building of the Smithso- James Dias Insurance Agency nian… We went up the escalator on the left, and down the one on the right, so we could 2504 Sykes Road, P.O. Box 1077 say that we went “through” it, snapping St. Helens, OR 97051 pictures on the way “through.” Then we 503-397-4259 Fax: 503-397-5557 hopped on the blue line Metro and headed I