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March On! ...the history of the

Toronto Optimists Drum & Bugle Corps

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Toronto Optimists' Photo Gallery

Photos of the Toronto Optimists, the Seneca Optimists, the Optimists Alumni and many others!

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Home > The Old Days (Photos from our competitive years) > Other Corps (mostly Canadian)

Don Mills Skyraiders


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3 files, last one added on Dec 11, 2011
Album viewed 292 times

Durham Girls


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22 files, last one added on May 07, 2026
Album viewed 370 times

Dutch Boy (Kitchener-Waterloo)


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50 files, last one added on Jun 21, 2026
Album viewed 1244 times

Etobicoke Crusaders


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7 files, last one added on Dec 05, 2017
Album viewed 267 times

Flying Dutchmen Junior (Kitchener-Waterloo)


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10 files, last one added on Dec 23, 2018
Album viewed 352 times

Garfield Cadets


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26 files, last one added on Nov 12, 2025
Album viewed 767 times

Geneva Appleknockers Jr


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8 files, last one added on Jan 06, 2026
Album viewed 193 times

Georgian Lancers


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The Georgian Lancers drum and bugle corps was formed in the fall of 1976 under the leadership of Sue Edwards, Rodger Tippin and Remi Blais.

The idea of forming a parade corps was first discussed by the three people who are now the Directors of the corps, Sue Edwards, Rodger Tippin and Remi Blais, in June of 1976. They were involved in instructing majorette groups in the Owen Sound and Meaford area. After a number of meetings, the recruiting program was unofficially started on July 1st when Mr. Tippin took three people to a corps exhibition in Port Dover. They attended about six more events after that, concluding with the Seneca Optimists perform their music for the new members of The Lancers and their parents in the high school gym on September 25th . Twelve recruits and ten adults attended the 1976 Canadian Nationals.

As in most smaller communities, the new corps received exce1lent co-operation from the local television station and newspaper, the Owen Sound Sun-Times in giving valued publicity to their program. The evening of September 9th, the cable station featured an interview, films and slides about drum corps to introduce the activity to the community and the Sept. 21st edition of the newspaper followed up with a 1/4 photo feature on the corps. In an interview with press representatives and the local radio and television station, Mr. Tippin, a Director of the corps, stated, "We had two objectives in asking the Optimists to appear in Owen Sound; to teach the community a little more about drum corps and to interest more kids in this area to get involved."

Competitively, the Georgian unit began in the 1977 Canadian Nationals “Junior E” division, placing 4th and moved up to the “Bantam Class” the following season, where they were crowned the 1978 Canadian National champions. The last 2 years saw the corps enter the field of competition with 3rd place finishes in both the 1979 Canada Central Circuit & Canadian Nationals “”Junior Cadets” class, concluding with another 3rd position in the 1980 Ontario Provincial “Cadet Class” championships.

In an attempt to adopt a different approach to the activity, they reorganized as the Northern Spirit “music group” in 1981.

Paul Legault (DCX)

4 files, last one added on Mar 04, 2026
Album viewed 29 times

Grantham Police Boys Band


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43 files, last one added on Mar 31, 2026
Album viewed 647 times

Greece Cadets


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13 files, last one added on Jun 24, 2026
Album viewed 316 times

Guardsmen (Illinois)


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6 files, last one added on Jan 03, 2026
Album viewed 62 times

Guelph Opti Knights


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3 files, last one added on Mar 22, 2009
Album viewed 354 times

101 albums on 9 page(s) 3

Random files - Other Corps (mostly Canadian)
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Preston Scout House at the Nationals (Galt, 1958)990 views
1978_kiwanis_kavaliers_001a.jpg
Kiwanis Kavaliers (1978)611 views
77_excalibur_903.jpg
St Catharines Excalibur (1977)931 views
1969_les_metropolitans.jpg
Les Metropolitains (1969)1060 views
76_oakie_drum_611.jpg
Oakland Crusaders (1976)3301 views
77_st_andrews_552.jpg
St Andrews, Cambridge (1977)1014 views

Last additions - Other Corps (mostly Canadian)
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De La Salle (NY-Canadians, Rochester, NY, 1960)6 viewsJun 28, 2026
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Lasalle Cadets on the finish life (Nationals prelims, Kingston, ON, 1968)11 viewsJun 27, 2026
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Phantom Regiment (Lamport Stadium, Toronto, 1978)20 viewsJun 26, 2026
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Cadets of Greece (Indoors, Hamilton, 1979)23 viewsJun 24, 2026
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Boston Crusaders (DCI, Hamilton, Ontario, 1979)19 viewsJun 23, 2026
1980_cne_sheet_49_14b1.jpg
Dutch Boy drums warming up (CNE, Toronto, 1980)28 viewsJun 21, 2026