Inspire Arts & Music, parent organization for the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, is proud to announce an exclusive partnership with the historic Blessed Sacrament Color Guard. Blessed Sacrament will partner with Inspire Arts & Music to promote youth activity in the pageantry arts and to develop new programs generated at helping youth in New England area.

Blessed Sacrament (affectionately referred to as “SAC”) is an institution in the color guard activity. Year after year, SAC has been devoted to providing its members opportunities to develop their sense of self-confidence, communication skills, sense of team spirit, sense of responsibility and sense of commitment through the arena of pageantry known as color guard. “When we started to look at new ways to strengthen our commitment to the arts, we wanted to find an organization that embodied all of the same principles we hold true in our entire organization. Having an opportunity to see first hand what Blessed Sacrament does for our community, I knew that Inspire Arts & Music and Blessed Sacrament could develop an incredible partnership to help out our community. I am extremely proud that we are able to partner Blessed Sacrament,” Rudy Gowern, Director of Business and Program Development states.

An organization over 70 years strong, SAC traces its origin back to the1930′s when a local parish, all-female drill team formed in the Cambridgeport area of Cambridge, Massachusetts as a summer activity for this urban neighborhood just outside of Boston. In the 1960′s, a winter competition unit was formed and when the drill team activity became dormant by the late 1970′s, focus shifted exclusively to winter competition.

Dolores Zappala, Blessed Sacrament’s Artistic Director, states, “I am really excited that this partnership will help more widely market the incredible opportunities for local as well as international young people to be exposed to the pageantry arts. We will be providing more opportunities for young people to express themselves though performance and competition. Blessed Sacrament and the Boston Crusaders have been part of the pageantry activity for over a combined 150 years thereby positively affecting many lives throughout the decades. This partnership could potentially guarantee the long-term continuation of both organizations since both organizations have a strong and loyal alumni base.”

The Blessed Sacrament World Guard is an 11-time Eastern Massachusetts World Class Champion. SAC has been a Winter Guard International (WGI) World Class competitor for 36 of WGI’s 37-year existence and is a 36-time WGI World Class Regional champion. The World Guard entered the elite top-15 of WGI World Championships Finalists in 1980 and has maintained that distinction for the last 35 consecutive seasons — an unprecedented, unmatched and historical accomplishment in the winter guard activity.

SAC has placed in the top-ten of the WGI World Class Finals 31 of the last 35 years, Sac has been in the renowned WGI “top-five” 21 times and is a six-time Independent World Class medalist; earning World Class Bronze Medals in 1988, 2005 and 2007, Silver Medals in 1989 and 1996 and the Gold Medal and WGI World Championship in 1990.

Blessed Sacrament will partner with Inspire Arts & Music to develop new programs and performance opportunities for young men and women in the New England area. Members of both Blessed Sacrament and the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps will enjoy benefits that will promote education and performance throughout the summer and winter seasons. Inspire Arts & Music CEO and Board President Jim Cronin states, “I believe the values of both organizations align extremely well and we can be “better together”. I am excited about the impact that this partnership will have on kids and the community as we launch new local programs.”

Ed Devlin, Director of Blessed Sacrament, states, “We are excited to form this great partnership with Inspire Arts & Music. I think this is an amazing opportunity to strengthen our organizations by collaborating together to expand arts and music in New England.”

Blessed Sacrament will be entering in their 37th year of WGI competition. You can catch Blessed Sacrament at the Salem and Las Vegas WGI regional. For more information visit www.blessedsac.org or www.wgi.org. In the Boston area, SAC competes in NESBA circuit.  Visit www.nesba.org for more information on performance times and schedules.