MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2015 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Barker, Byrd, Horne, Lane, McLeod, Morgan, Pigott, Rushing, Staples, Watson
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI'S MARCHING BAND, THE PRIDE OF MISSISSIPPI, ON WINNING THE INTERNATIONAL BAND PARADE IN LIMERICK, IRELAND.
WHEREAS, on March 15, 2015, the University of Southern Mississippi's renowned marching band, The Pride of Mississippi, performed before a crowd of more than 40,000 people gathered along a 2.75 mile route through the friendly streets of the City of Limerick, Ireland, to capture the overall winner position in the 45th annual International Band Parade; and
WHEREAS, a highlight of the St. Patrick's Day festivities in a city known for great music and officially proclaimed to be Ireland's first National City of Culture in 2014, the championship parade featured 24 marching bands and more than 1,100 musicians from across Ireland, Europe and the United States; and
WHEREAS, enthralling spectators with a rousing version of Michael Jackson's classic hit Thriller, the 130-plus members of the Pride who traveled to Ireland captivated the judges on the review stand when the band members surprisingly laid aside their instruments to join with the Dixie Darlings and flag bearers as they performed a brilliant routine in the parade's final performance of the day; and
WHEREAS, after its fantastic performance in Limerick, The Pride, no stranger to the exquisite scenery of the Emerald Isle, traveled to Dublin to march through the heart of a city steeped in history in perhaps one of the most exceptional St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the world, the fantastically colorful St. Patrick's Festival Parade held on March 17; and
WHEREAS, The Pride's 2015 journey to Ireland, which came as a result of an invitation to participate in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade received by the band's director, James Standland, a year earlier from the mayor of Dublin, is the group's third trip across the great pond to the beautiful country in the past 25 to 30 years; and
WHEREAS, while the mighty Pride boasts 300 members, the 130 students who were able to make the overseas trip demonstrated unsurpassed commitment to the band by enduring many rehearsals in the cold and working extra hard to raise the funds necessary to pay the full cost of their trip; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to recognize and commend the remarkable achievements of hardworking and talented young ambassadors of the Magnolia State such as the members of The Pride of Mississippi, whose exemplary performance earning the band the title of overall winner in the 2015 International Band Parade in Ireland have brought great honor to the University of Southern Mississippi, the State of Mississippi and the entire United States:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the University of Southern Mississippi marching band, The Pride of Mississippi, on being named the overall winner of the 45th annual International Band Parade in Limerick, Ireland, and extend best wishes to Director James Standland and the individual students comprising The Pride for continued success in all their future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be provided to University of Southern Mississippi President Dr. Rodney D. Bennett, The Pride of Mississippi Director James Standland and to the members of The Capitol Press Corps.