Free Day in South Dakota

Saturday, March 15, 2003 brought the Gold Star Band their free day. We traveled a lot in the bus today as we visited Wall Drug, Custer State Park, Rushmore Taffee Company, and Mt. Rushmore.

Pat "real deal" Thiel and Matt Rusten posing in front of a dumpster geting ready to get their lunch in Wall, SD.	Rusten and Thiel posing in front of a sign in Wall SD., home of Wall Drug.
Brian Kirchhoff, Justin Gronfur, Brad Baltrush, Andrew Jacobson, Tanya Matthies, and Melody Thoreson posing on a ledge at Mt. Rushmore.	Tim Smith gets what's coming to him from Chris Hanson.....
He steps on the clutch, the toilet goes flush. Matt Chaussee, the bus driver, and Aaron Beseler checking out the exciting town of Wall, SD.	Pat Thiel, plays our tour guide as we toured Custer State Park.
Matt Boeser....need I say more?	Pat Thiel really has a way with the ladies!
The band at Custer State Park
The Horn section pose at Mt. Rushmore. Members of the section are Amber Hopf, Cassidi Olson, Melody Thoreson, and Kirsten Solomonson.

Banquet

In the evening, the band went to the annual banquet, also known as Rookie night. After eating at the Royal Fork Buffet, There were many fun activites. The rookies started out the evening with the rookie skit, The Real World of the Gold Star Band. After the rookie skit, they all sang the Yellow and the Green. Erika Beseler and Robin Childs performed a speech duo, that had a theme of a news show. Chris Hanson and Tim Smith sang the annual GSB tour song. Matt Chaussee, Dan Johnson, Jeremy Meinert, and Tim Smith peformed a Jeopardy skit that was a parody of the Jeopardy skit off Saturday Night Live. Erin Wirtz read the tour flings in honor of Sara Dau. Dan Johnson and Jessy Klimpel peformed a rap dedicated to Tim Smith. Band officers Patrick Thiel and Aaron Beseler sang "Where in the world is Gold Star Concert Band"There were top ten lists on why to ride in the bus, van, and truck. As usual the yearly awards were given out. To close out the evening the band sang the NDSU alma mater, the Yellow and the Green.

Matt Chaussee as Alex Trebek, Dan Johnson as Dr. Olfert, Tim Smith as Patrick Thiel, and Jeremy Meinert as Dan Johnson perfrom their Jeopardy skit.	Band officers Patrick Thiel, Erin Wirtz, and Aaron Beseler give out the annual awards.
The tuba vets, Matt Larson and Mike Lehmann give out the annual Charlie Kremer memorial award to rookie of the year Sara Egge for her infamous "K is for tuba" incident.	Chris Hanson reads the top ten reasons why it is great to ride in the van.
Jessy Klimpel and Dan Johnson recite their rap dedicated to Timothy Patrick Smith esq.	Jeremy Meinert and Dan Johnson explain why it's great to drive the truck. The number one reason was "The only tracks stopping us are the ones in our underwear."
Megan Simpson plays Phil Palm in the rookie skit. She is measuring Aaron Chapman, who played Dr. Olfert.	Verena Bontiz played our host in the rookie skit, titled The Real World of the Gold Star Band.
Justin Gronfur goes and gives Erin Ott a hug in the rookie skit. Justin played Tim Smith, and Erin played Kirsten Solomonson.	Mike Lehmann...being Mike Lehmann.
Jodee Elhard, Megan Simpson, Jill Anderson, Erin Ott, Justin Gronfur and Cassidi Olson in the rookie skit.	Brian Kirchoff does his confessional in the rookie skit. Playing Greg Sturdavant, he explained that his favorite director he has ever had at NDSU is C.S. Putnam.
Carolyn Bredeson plays Tanya Matthies "the Trumpet Queen" in the rookie skit.	Emily Bair doing her confessional as Michelle Beyer in the rookie skit.

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