EUSPBA URGENT UPDATE

Dear EUSPBA Members,

I am sure by now many of you have heard about the tragic loss of one of our own, Chris Rapp. He was one of the victims in the recent mass shooting in Virginia Beach, VA on Friday. Chris was a piper and former member of the Greater Richmond Pipe Band and current member of the Tidewater Pipe Band.

He was described by his current P/M Jim Roberts as, “reserved but very friendly, quietly engaging members one-on-one after our weekly practices. Even though we didn’t have time to get to know him better, we shared a love for music that created an immediate bond. More importantly, he showed up and worked hard which is all you can ask for in a group of amateur musicians.”

If you have been in pipe bands for any length of time, you know somebody just like Chris. Often we all get wrapped up in the rehearsals, parades, and the stress of the competition season, but circumstances such as this remind us all of the importance to step back and enjoy the time we spend with our fellow band mates.

Please keep his parents, Mike and Patty, and his wife Bessie in your thoughts and prayers. When service arrangements become available, we will pass those along via the EUSPBA website.

Respectfully yours,

Jim Dillahey

President

EUSPBA