The Jim Thorpe Area School District got a welcomed surprise this past weekend when the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps of Tempe, Arizona showed up at the door step. The group which was in town for the DCI Eastern Classic at J.Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown needed a place to stay after complications forced the band away from it's original housing destination at Milton High School.

The band has been on the national tour since July 20th and won't return home to Arizona until August 14th. Nearby spectators received a treat as the group blasted their bugles on the Olympian's soccer field practicing different movements and drills. DCI which stands for Drum Corps International is the sanctioning body responsible for the Academy's welcomed intrusion onto Thorpe's campus.It was certainly a site as the group brings two tractor trailers full of equipment for their cross country trek. One used for instruments and the other used as a full size kitchen where a food crew prepares meals for the band members. If that isn't amazing enough SYSCO foods actually meets them at pre-determined locations throughout their trip and restocks the food supply for the trailer.The whole system is costly as well as it runs the Academy about 6,000 dollars a day while the band is on the road. Volunteers play a huge part in how things get done with the food crew and drivers all donating their time without getting paid a cent.The Academy consists of 150 members from ages 16-21 mostly residing in the Phoenix and Tempe area. There are 76 brass players, 34 percussion, and 30 color guard. Auditions for the kids are held in December and the roster spots are given out in January.Next for the Academy is a trip to Indianapolis for the World Championships where they will compete at Lucas Oil Stadium the home of the Indianapolis Colts.