Last week, Cara Warntz, a legacy member of The Cadets Pit since 2019, got creative and ended up raising $1,000 for the corps.

It started last summer, when The Cadets were on the road. The 2019 CPit had custom jerseys made to commemorate the season with 19 and their name on the back.

Time went on, and drum corps went virtual for 2020. Cara wore her CPit jersey in an online performance, and several CPit Alumni saw it, loved it, and wished they had them when they marched.

Cara took their wishes to heart. She and 2019 Alumnus Jacob Ahn created a CPit Alumni jersey, and Cara started taking orders.

Cara Warntz in The 2019 Cadets Front Ensemble

She sold them for cost and stated that any extra money would be donated directly to the corps. About 45 alumni purchased jerseys, and everyone who could gave a little extra. Most jerseys displayed the member’s age-out year on the back, and CPit Alumni from every decade participated, dating back to the 80s when the front ensemble first began. A donation of $500 was made to The Cadets in the name of the CPit Alumni on the very day Cara’s father was inducted into The Cadets Hall of Fame.

“It’s a start of us trying to get the CPit Alumni unified and engaged!” said Andy Warntz, Cara’s father who is a CPit Alumnus himself.

Andy was one of four inductees to The Cadets Hall of Fame on Sat., Oct. 17 – an honor he received for his steadfast efforts to support the corps and bring Holy Bass Alumni together over the past three decades. As a direct result of his dedication, the HB is now the most connected section of Cadets Alumni with a highly anticipated reunion held annually during DCI East weekend.

It’s no secret or surprise that The Cadets Pit is one of the most tight-knit sections in the corps. Now members and alumni are working to continue that connection long after they leave the competition field.

“I’m training Cara to do with CPit Alumni what I do with HB,” Andy said. “She is a great Cadet. She just loves it so much!”

To give this story an even better ending, the impromptu CPit fundraiser lined up with our current match opportunity in which a generous, anonymous alum has promised to match up to $5,000 in donations made before the end of October. So, in raising $500, the CPit Alumni actually gave the corps access to an extra $1,000!

For Cadets alumni, fans and supporters, there is great strength in numbers. In the spirit of this story, please make any donation you can to help us max out this $5,000 match before October 31!

If you would like to get more connected with your section, we would love to help. Please e-mail Allison Broussard at .

CPit Alumni who are interested in alumni jerseys can also e-mail .