HONORING OUR HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2020
On Saturday, October 17, The Cadets Hall of Fame Committee hosted the Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2020.
The evening began an hour earlier with an open social gathering on Zoom in which Cadets Alumni and supporters were invited to reconnect and reminisce. A livestream then began at 8 p.m. on all The Cadets’ streaming channels in which Hall of Fame Committee members honored the four deserving inductees: Cindi DeVivo, Marie DiDomenico, John Molloy and Andy Warntz.
Each of these names represents an important facet of our organization. They exemplify The Cadets and the many qualities and roles that have made us who we are through the years. We are proud to present The Cadets Hall of Fame Class of 2020, and we invite you to take a moment get to know each inductee.
Cindi DeVivo
In 1969, Cindi joined The Cadets as a charter member of the Original Girl Guard – the first females to wear the maroon and gold. Her fellow guard members remember her contagious fun spirit and her leadership, as she continually forged a path for other women to follow. She was a member of the rifle line through 1973 and went on to teach the rifles in 1974. Cindi’s then transitioned to a volunteer role, serving the corps in numerous capacities from 1982 to the present. She did whatever was needed, from cooking on the road, to stuffing envelopes in the office, to selling 50/50 raffles and programs at shows. She has financially supported individual members, raised thousands of dollars for the corps by helping to organize the annual holiday party and Wine Tasting events, and she continually encourages her fellow alumni to donate to the cause. Cindi serves as the North Jersey Chapter Alumni Representative and plays an active role in ongoing Alumni meetings. She helped to organize The Cadets’ 50th, 75th and 85th Anniversary Celebrations and is the co-chair of Caps for Cadets, an annual event which connects current Cadets to the corps’ history and draws the alumni closer to the marching members. With her convivial spirit and unwavering work ethic, Cindi has been an exemplary Cadets for decades. She is a worthy member of The Cadets Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
Marie DiDomenico
Marie DiDomenico grew up volunteering with The Cadets alongside her mother. Affectionately known to the corps as “Aunt Nellie,” Marie’s mom was a seamstress and dedicated volunteer for 30 years, from the 1950s through the mid-80s. Marie would help her mother with the uniforms and drive her to fittings, rehearsals and competitions. She went on to become an incredible asset to our organization in her own right, serving as a volunteer, corps Treasurer, the first female member of our Board of Directors, and a benefactor for many years. She worked bingos for the corps and even personally helped pay tuition for members with financial limitations. As decades passed, she stayed up to date with The Cadets and continued to be involved with alumni events. Her selfless service and steadfast devotion to the corps embodies what it means to be a Cadet, and we gladly welcome her into the honored Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
John Molloy
John Molloy is an esteemed trumpet player and educator. He achieved a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance on trumpet from Montclair State University, where he was the lead trumpet player for the university’s jazz big band for 12 straight semesters. For four years in a row, he was selected to represent Montclair State as the lead trumpet player for the New Jersey Intercollegiate Jazz Band. John was a member of The Cadets Trumpet Section from 2001 to 2003 and is probably best known as a member of the 2003 Malaguena Trumpet Trio. In his vast drum corps career, he was also a soprano member of the Reading Buccaneers, Lambertville Volunteers, Hawthorne Caballeros, Bushwackers and Sunrisers. He went on to teach multiple drum corps, including the Oregon Crusaders and Santa Clara Vanguard, and he has held the position of Brass Caption Head for both the Reading Buccaneers and Fusion Core.
John has served as the Director of Recruitment for The Cadets and Cadets2, as well as an administrator for Cadets Winter Percussion and a brass instructor with Cadets2. In 2016, he was part of the corps’ DCA Championship-winning season as both the trumpet soloist and mellophone tech. During his years with C2, John’s dedication reached far beyond his job description. He did whatever it took to give the members the best possible experience, and his inclusive spirit and enthusiastic teaching style profoundly impacted the lives of hundreds of music students along the way. He continues to spread his love of music as both a private lessons teacher and a high school brass caption manager. In 2019, John was inducted into the Buglers Hall of Fame, and we are proud to welcome him into The Cadets Hall of Fame as an esteemed member of the Class of 2020. We are also pleased to announce that he is the first Cadets2 member to of The Cadets Hall of Fame.
Andy Warntz
Andy’s Cadets career began in the mid-80s when he would go on tour with his parents. Once he was old enough, he became a member of The Cadets Front Ensemble in 1992, and he went on to march in The Cadets’ bass drum section, better known as Holy Bass, in 1996 and 1997. As a member, he worked hard, led by example and was quick to encourage his fellow Cadets. Since then, Andy has become a leader among the alumni and has been instrumental in connecting generations of Cadets percussion alumni. For over a decade, he has gathered five decades of Holy Bass members both online and in person. Each year during DCI East weekend, he coordinates the Holy Bass Reunion, which now draws over 50 bass drum alumni together. A true Cadet, he does everything he can to ensure the best quality experience for current and future Cadets, while simultaneously making sure alumni from every generation of Cadets feel welcome, appreciated and encouraged to be as involved as they can. Andy assists The Cadets with recruitment, teaching and fundraising and is a current member of the Battery Staff and former percussion staff member for Cadets2. His daughter, Cara, is now carrying on the family tradition as a member of The Cadets Pit. It is with great pride that The Cadets induct Andy Warntz into the Hall of Fame Class of 2020.d
