BUTLER TWP — The General Butler Vagabonds Drum and Bugle Corps has fallen out of step in its recent march to revitalization.

The group, founded in 1966 and once nationally known, had become less active in recent years.

But in June, under the leadership of newly hired director Rich Zamperini of Connellsville, the drum and bugle corps had an open rehearsal at the Vagabond Center, 138 Whitestown Road, Lyndora, that Zamperini said attracted 60 potential recruits.

Zamperini said he was able to attract enough members in 30 days to put together an abbreviated marching season.

But by Aug. 3, Zamperini said he was fired, a victim he said of an organization more concerned with fundraising than marching.

The exact reason is unclear. Zamperini said he was told he wasn’t the type of person the board wanted as director.

Chester Dellen, vice president of the Vagabonds board, said Zamperini’s attitude led to a parting with the organization.

Alex Shott, board member and one of the founders of the Vagabonds, said Zamperini’s contract ran from “the first day of June to the last day of marching season. He made those terms himself. There was no firing.”

But Zamperini’s departure has left the group’s future in doubt.

At present, there are no rehearsals scheduled for corps members to practice for next year’s marching season, and Vagabonds alumni are up in arms.

“It’s an organization with no staff, no director, no rehearsals and no plans,” Zamperini said. “We don’t understand why it’s come to this.”

“The start time for practices is now,” he said. “We’re getting texts from parents and students.”

New board members

Ken Ruble of Pittsburgh was elected to the board in August, one of six people added to the existing six-member board in what proved to be a short-lived expansion.

Paul Metzger of Pittsburgh, a Vagabond alumnus, also was elected along with Ruble, Robert Chiprean, Jerry Markle and nonvoting members Tina Minoski and Sam Rizzi. All but Rizzi had marched with the Vagabonds.

“Six of us agreed to be on the board,” said Metzger of the meeting in August. “A week later, we had another meeting to draft new bylaws.”

But after that, Ruble and Metzger said the new members had no more contact with the board.

“They just kind of quit dealing with us,” Ruble said of the original six board members: Shott, Dellen, Carl Riesse, Kenneth Myers, Rhoda Schnitzki and Donna Druga.

Metzger said, “Since the first meeting working on the bylaws, they’ve never contacted us. They’ve obviously had meetings, but we are completely ignored.”

Ruble said the original board met and negated the board’s expansion.

Dellen said of the expansion: “It was an illegal thing that we had that night. Our lawyer said we couldn’t do it and we did it.”

“There were only three board members there and we needed four for a majority,” Dellen said.

Shott said, “There’s been a lot of confusion. We are not addressing that now.”

Ruble said, “We call the six members that were elected in August, the new guard. We’re staying in contact, trying to see what we can do.”

Working to restart

Schnitzki said, “At this time the Vagabonds are in the process of interviewing perspective directors and hope to have a drum and bugle corps running by 2014.”

As for losing practice time, Schnitzki agreed that this was so.

“Prime rehearsal time is being lost, yes,” Schnitzki said. “With everything that is going on, it’s taken time to put the information out there.”

“If a parent or an alumni has questions, they should call the office at 724-282-7695,” she said. “I have no problem talking to everybody. “

“We’ll soon be back on track and getting a director,” Schnitzki said.

Dellen said the board has feelers out to at least one candidate for a directorship but couldn’t say more until the candidate had interviewed with the board.

Shott said, “Right now we are in the process of talking to some directors locally.”

New blood needed

Barbara Jo Dunn of Sarver, a Vagabonds alumni whose daughter played in the Vagabonds this summer, is one of many parents who feel this inaction is a disservice to her child.

“We’re confused. I want that opportunity for my daughter. There was a change in my daughter when she joined the corps,” said Dunn.

William Pharr of Oneota, N.Y., said of the board, “I just wish they would all step down.”

Pharr, who played in the Vagabonds from 1977 to 1979, is one of many Vagabond alumni who has kept in touch with the corps through social media.

“You’ve done all you can. We need to get some new blood,” Pharr said of the present directors.

Mark Wasilko of Kittanning, a music education major at Grove City College, who played last summer in the group that Zamperini had recruited, said, “I plan on being in the corps next summer. Whether Rich Zamperini is the director or if he isn’t, I still will be a part of it.”

Sarah Morris, 18, of Harrisville joined the Vagabonds last summer.

“I’m furious they are taking away a chance to be part of something that is bigger than our high school band,” said Morris.

“Rich had us going in the right direction,” the Slippery Rock High School graduate added. “I want to be able to perform again because I liked it more than anything.”

Ruble said, “I want a drum corps there. It seems like they’re not interested in having a drum corps for some time now.

“What are you raising money for if you are not looking to field a drums corps? Ruble asked.

To Zamperini, it’s simple. He said the organization’s board is more interested in renting out the Vagabond Center for events and flea markets and running its twice-weekly bingo games than fielding a competitive marching unit.

Dellen said money raised from rentals and bingo “goes back into the Vagabond organization.”

“We have a $1,000-a -month gas bill. There’s the water bill, insurance,” said Dellen, citing the expense of the of upkeep of the building.

Not going anywhere

“New” board member Metzger said, “We want Rich Zamperini rehired. And to be realistic, the old board doesn’t seem to have an interest in having a top-notch, competitive drum corps.”

“With the old board in place, it’s not going to go anywhere,” said Metzger, adding the alumni have enough members familiar with finances, fundraising and recruiting.

Metzger and Zamperini said the alumni are looking into renting a facility, holding practices and fielding its own drum corps, but would rather be able to use the Vagabond Center and the equipment there.

“We want to be positive. We want to give kids the possibility of marching,” said Metzger.

Zamperini said he feels betrayed. As a band consultant who works with organizations across the country, he said he made professional sacrifices to return to the Vagabonds this summer.

“It grates on me that I dropped everything like a dirty sheet because that’s how much the Vagabonds mean to me. I did it and for my trouble I got canned.” Zamperini said.

Dellen said, “It’s turned into this big personal issue. What’s choking everybody now is that the alumni wouldn’t put their kids and grandkids in with us.”