says every person associated with its drum corps programs must sign a code of conduct, , There's another twist in the ongoing investigation over sexual assault allegations targeting, Documents obtained by 69 News appear to show former Youth Education in the Arts CEO and Alle, The investigation into sexual misconduct allegations at the Allentown Cadets drum and bugle , The organization that oversees Allentown's famed Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The members and staff, however, were not willing to cease the corps operations, and reorganized as a new organization, even though the parish kept the uniforms and instruments. [6] The only junior drum and bugle corps older than The Cadets is the Racine Scouts, which was founded in 1927. Tips to help protect your smartphone from thieves, Outlast Forces Lone Wolf Contestants to Embrace Team Dynamics for Netflix Competition, Diego Luna: Andor Ending With Season 2 Is Really Important for My Mental Health. Hopkins is facing two sexual assault charges after nearly a dozen women came forward with allegations in 2018. They wanted to shed a light on his behavior and for him to have a criminal record, he said. George Hopkins, the former director of the Allentown Cadets and CEO of Youth Education in the Arts who separated from the organization after being accused of sexually harassing nine women, is suing YEA for more than $580,000 in severance pay. The Troopers and other corps under the Drum Corps International umbrella are now left to reckon with the allegations brought against them on a deeper level, beyond personnel. To honor their 75th anniversary, the corps was called the Holy Name Cadets for the 2009 season. The lyrics are taught to new members each summer and sung to the tune of "O Tannenbaum". Steven Chirichella still not the same MarieI feel your thoughts and sure Aunt Nell would be our side. 1 / Adagio for Strings / Medea's Dance of Vengeance, The Promise of Living (from The Tender Land) / Lincoln Portrait / Music for the Theater, Mvts. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. They sleep on hard gym floors, take water breaks on the run and get an average of one day off per month. Now, she told Hopkins, who stood a few feet from her in the courtroom, she feels stronger than ever. One in four trooper positions are vacant. If his probation officer recommends it, Hopkins will have to undergo sex offender therapy. At 192 beats per minute.. Renowned drum corps leader resigns amid abuse allegations. Exercise was often used as punishment for messing up. In the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. For the rest of the force, that means longer hours and fewer days off while earning less than peers . I know this sub loves a good Hop story, so here you go. Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. The only ones that thought it was the kiss ass GH puppets/groupies/cult members. 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Senate vote, Reading Area Water Authority looking for leak on North Heidelberg Township line, Former Penn State Berks soccer player among dead in violent Monroe County crash, Biden expected to tighten rules on US investment in China, Paid express lanes grow more popular in once-reluctant South, Ukraine ally Kallas fights for reelection in Estonia vote, In Chicago, adapting electric buses to winters challenges, Pot vote has Oklahoma hungry to rake in green from Texas, Global race to boost electric vehicle range in cold weather, In Britain, warm hubs emerge to beat soaring energy costs, 6 Nigerian states drop suit to void presidential vote result, The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills, What the Tech? On November 13, Hopkins was indicted in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania for sexual assault, based on accusations of two women who are former employees of YEA. Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins has settled a civil claim with the Cadets parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts, regarding compensation. The Allentown Cadets drum and bugle corps lost sponsors, donors and engagements because of sexual misconduct allegations against its then-director George Hopkins. Not just for [the victim], but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, the judge said. Edwin Garrity of the Holy Name Catholic parish in Garfield, New Jersey founded the Holy Name Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 1934 as an activity for the boys in the parish. Error! This is art. Hopkins also served as CEO of the Cadets' parent organization, Youth Education in the Arts. In 1950, the Cadets went on the road for three weeks in order to defend their Legion title in Los Angeles. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors withdrew two charges of felony sexual assault and added the indecent assault count, a misdemeanor, to which Hopkins pleaded no contest. What is clear ---I need an assistant. ", She said she didn't file a rape report or inform the board of directors because Hopkins seemed "untouchable.". {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Crews contend with tons of snow as they work to reopen I-80, Powell sisters die in crash with semi-truck, Long shifts, odd calls, brutal weather: inside the Wyoming Highway Patrol staffing shortage, Ex-Casper doctor imprisoned for sexually assaulting patients released years early, Lovell steps up after local sportswriter dies from car crash injuries. But if that is the consensus of the alumni maybe WE should ensure that there will be a future for the CADET organization! George Hopkins, who also ran the youth arts education nonprofit that operates the Cadets program, pleaded no contest to the charges in 2020 and is now serving two years of probation. Prior to 2000 and the adoption of the current scoring format, the Cadets won these captions: A History of Drum & Bugle Corps Vol. "I felt pressured and I felt cornered. After roughly a month of trying to leave, Calhoun said he finally did it in July, cutting his touring season short. Most of the time, the individual is NOT an assistant but someone who would like to assist. The investigation into Hopkins conduct found he had little oversight from the Cadets board, giving him the freedom to throw things when angry in rehearsals, refer to women as little girls, and send inappropriate sexual emails on the organizations server. These PEOPLE are your most important asset. I just felt like, Well, youre right. George Hopkins Resigns As Director Of Cadets Following Sexual Assault I was just going to say, check his will! In the suit, Hopkins denied he was fired by YEA, claiming he left the organization through a mutually agreeable cessation of employment.. In both cases, the women say after meeting with Hopkins on business, they were drugged and sexually assaulted. This is the resignation letter from the director of USBands (a YEA program that helps fund The Cadets) and reveals some interesting information. He now is awaiting trial in Lehigh County on charges of sexually assaulting two of the women. He began as Director in 1983 For those who outright pretty much called me a liar, Lillian Petrullo-Yocovelli Thx you Caren Blundetto-Frech!! Board of Directors Resigns, New Board to Guide Organization", "Former drum corps director George Hopkins charged with sexual assault", "Finding no resignation letter, YEA board fired Hopkins with no severance", "DCI action on YEA! Chapter 5 Staff changes and letters to the board of directors . But even after he was let go, Connell said he was still allowed around corps members who knew what had happened and had reported him to the administration because he was the organizations connection to the housing site where they were staying. wondering if he would be able to field and/or finance a corps, and ended 1983 But, as Connell says, the problem is much deeper than a couple of creeps. Hopkins, 61, has not been charged and denies criminal wrongdoing. Folks were upset, nothing new, but this time, the anger took a more aggressive approach. Not someone who wants to be an assistant. With director gone, Troopers now face deep-seated culture of negligence [2][3], The Garfield Cadets relocated outside Garfield to Hackensack and became the Cadets of Bergen County in 1989. CEO while denying the allegations. But with the end of 2015, other changes occured. Mostly cloudy and drier, but a few scattered rain showers linger early, and perhaps a few snow showers at any point in the Poconos. [15], In response to Hopkins suing YEA! Stuart Evan Rice said in an interview this week that he told Dan Acheson . Ex-Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins charged with sexual assault Twelve women have told the Inquirer they were sexually harassed or abused by Hopkins over the nearly four decades he served as director of Allentown's famed Cadets, years during which he achieved rock-star-like status in the activity. The corps quickly became one of the top competitive corps in the country. Watch this report from Action News at 4:30pm on April 6, 2018. Ex-Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins waives hearing on sexual The Cadets have won these caption awards:[25], John Brazale Best Visual Performance Award, George Zingali Best Color Guard Performance Award, Fred Sanford Best Percussion Performance Award. he sued the organization for more than $580,000 in severance pay. Beyer, who said Hopkins assaulted her after she went to work for the corps, watched his plea and sentencing Thursday, but did not speak in court. Steven Chirichella Richie has his gold uniform on him in his eternity as he lies in the heavens dont turn him blackplease oh Holy Name. On July 4, 1986 the Cadets performed as a part of the Liberty Weekend celebrating both the hundredth anniversary and the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. After the summer of 2020, the first summer in years without a Troopers tour, Ian Calhoun said he started to hear from friends hed made at the corps who were interested in reporting some of their experiences to the advocacy group MAASIN (Marching Arts Access, Safety & Inclusion Network). The charge to which Hopkins pleaded no contest stemmed from a woman who said she was sexually assaulted in 2010. [5] In January 2009, The Cadets marched in President Barack Obama's Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C. On Wednesday, he told Lehigh County Judge James Anthony that the Inquirer has refused to provide the full video. For more than 30 years, George Hopkins has been a major proponent of changes in instrumentation, education and contest guidelines, such as initiating the use of band instruments, electronics, removal of sidelines and other alternatives. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, The Cadets was one of the thirteen founding corps of Drum Corps International (DCI), is a ten-time DCI World Champion, and is the oldest continuously active junior drum and bugle corps in North America.[1]. Midway through the 1959 season, the parish allowed the corps to once more wear the uniform that remains their trademark. The negligence comes from a lot of places, Connell said. The women are among roughly a dozen connected to the Cadets organization who say they were sexually assaulted by Hopkins dating back to the 1980s. The rehearsal and performance grind wore him down, and he got little help from Jackson a former nurse aside from recommendations to drink coconut water and sit out a few reps. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Now, she told Hopkins, who stood a few feet from her in the courtroom, she feels stronger than ever. But this isnt the military. You need complete concentration on everything you do because if you dont, you could get someone else hurt or you can hurt yourself, Calhoun said. The truth about George Hopkins : r/drumcorps - reddit Free Access to this video! A six-month investigation into Allentown's Youth Education in the Arts is now complete. Not just for [the victim] but for all the women who are taken advantage of by predators like you, Anthony said. Hopkins needs Help From George Hopkins . Caren Blundetto-Frech This would be more appropriately titled as a BLACK SATURDAY sale . George Hopkins, longtime director of the Cadets drum corps, resigns after sexual misconduct allegations April 6, 2018, 7:20 AM The decorated director of The Cadets drum and bugle corps. Former Allentown Cadets director George Hopkins settles with YEA on : p or should it be, willing away the cash cow?Someone sold our souls to this legacy (too) many years ago. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The DCI.org interview: George Hopkins If his probation officer recommends it, Hopkins will have to undergo sex offender therapy. Lehigh County Judge James T. Anthony also fined Hopkins $5,000, the most allowed by law, and called him flatly disgusting.. George Hopkins. George Hopkins on The Cadets 2017 Show | Marching Arts Education The corps was known not only for its talent but for its traveling to compete. Her twin sister, Linda Riley, also a Cadet, said Hopkins had sex with her without her consent two summers later, when she was 19. creates new code of conduct after sexual harassment allegations, Fired! Many of the women who spoke to Philly.com said they felt empowered to come forward by the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct that has toppled powerful men in news and entertainment. [21] Committees were created in the areas of Health and Wellness, Equality and Inclusion, Performing Arts Education, Governance, and Finance. On April 5, 2018, allegations were made in published reports that the longstanding corps director, George Hopkins, sexually harassed or abused multiple members of the corps and staff over a period of years. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. George Hopkins, YEA settle civil suit regarding compensation, Stormcenter - School / Business Application. George Hopkins, former director of Allentown's elite Cadets drum and bugle corps, pleaded no contest to indecent assault after an Inquirer investigation revealed years of misconduct. Their biggest resource in that effort may be the very people who are speaking out. The CAE Board of Directors approved this decision on Monday evening, February 13, 2023.