 Keith Raiche, Gov. Lynch, Noel Taylor Memorial Day 2006 | When 7 of Taylor's fellow members of the Muchachos, volunteered to travel to upstate New York last summer, to participate in the Echo TAPS program, a national event sponsored by Bugles Across America, it touched a nerve with Taylor. The purpose of Echo TAPS was to raise awareness of the need for volunteer buglers nationwide to sound TAPS at veterans funerals, where too many funeral directors were forced to resort to the tape recording as a final tribute. The Echo TAPS event spanned the gap between the national veterans cemeteries in Elmira and Bath New York, with over 800 volunteer musicians, who played TAPS not only with trumpets and brass bugles but some even played their own reed or woodwind instruments. That event prompted Taylor to consider some type of a public ceremony for the hallowed grounds of the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery. His initial attempt was last year's “21 Horn Salute” with TAPS sounded by members of the Muchachos. With the success of last year's event, Taylor expanded his plans this year with “100 Nights of Remembrance” beginning on Memorial Day weekend and culminating tonight on the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks on this country. With the participation of additional volunteer groups this summer, our veterans lying in rest on these grounds were saluted nightly with at least 1 bugler sounding TAPS at dusk. |
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| The Muchachos perform in front of a group of Exceptional Citizens. We play everything we know, and then some ... Exceptional Citizen’s Week is a highlight in the lives of 150 campers every year. Each camper is treated as an exceptional citizen. All of the activities are centered around their interests and they are catered to by a qualified, enthusiastic and energetic volunteer staff, many of whom also consider the week a highlight in their year, and their lives. EC Week is entirely free for the campers. Funded by generous contributions, both large and small, from many different people and companies. In its over 50 years of operation, E.C. Week has made a dream come true for more than 5,000 campers. EC Week is a non-sectarian outdoor camping experience sponsored by the Diocese of Manchester. It is held every year at Camp Fatima, a 150 acre, fully accredited camp on Upper Suncook Lake in Gilmanton Iron Works, New Hampshire. The Staff of volunteers is comprised of people from all walks of life - business professionals, teachers, homemakers, and members of the religious community, to name a few. They all share a common desire to provide fun, happiness, and they live for the campers for this one-week. |