April is drum corps volunteer month on DCI.org. If you'd like to "nominate" a fabulous drum corps volunteer, send a writeup and a photo to content@dci.org. Joe Smith, a Colts mellophone player, submitted this nomination. Volunteers: Bob and Mary DeSchepper
Corps: Colts In the Colts organization there are many wonderful volunteers. Two of them are Bob and Mary DeSchepper, who have been with the Colts since 1997, and are in their 21st season as volunteers in the drum and bugle corps activity.

Bob and Mary DeSchepper
If you ask Bob and Mary how they found the Colts, they'd say, "We came with the truck!" Originally, they drove for the Geneseo Knights when their son marched in that corps. After Geneseo folded, Bob and Mary went to drive for the Emerald Knights (Nite Express) out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. When the Emerald Knights went inactive, the Colts leased the food truck from the corps, and Bob and Mary showed up with it. Since that time, they have filled the roles as everyone's grandparents on tour. Bob always drives, and Mary rides along. During the day, Mary will tend to uniforms and can be found in the Colts souvie booth most evenings. Both fill in wherever they are needed, whether it be fixing things, building things or running errands. During the off season, both will help take members to and from area airports. Bob will run vehicles, and Mary helps with the various sewing projects. Having lost their son (who marched Geneseo) to a tragic accident around 2000, they have a special place in their hearts for every corps member and for what the activity has shared with their family. They have a sense of humor that carries them and the corps down the road every each summer. Every year they share a small gift with the Colts members at the last show. In 2001, they gave rings to every corps member, as Mary had been promising they would earn "a ring." This past season, Bob and Mary gave all of the marching members necklaces with a star pendant, since all Colts are their "little stars." To the Colts, though, Bob and Mary are truly big stars!