The Crossmen and the Crossmen Alumni Association are proud to announce the three newest members to the Crossmen Hall of Fame, Florence Crowell, Carl Ruocco and Chris Thompson.

Florence "Flo" Crowell started her love for drum corps in 1970 when her children joined the local activity. She was most passionate, however, about the Crossmen.

As a volunteer, she wore many hats:  nurse, fundraiser, seamstress, cook. Back in the days when drum corps were just beginning to tour, Flo stepped up to do whatever was needed. She was the very first person to volunteer to run the food truck, better known to the Crossmen kids back then as the "Chuck Wagon." Flo was always reliable and very generous when it came to the Crossmen, even lending her own van as an extra vehicle on the road.

She loved her Crossmen kids and you would always see her wearing her red or white Crossmen jackets letting everyone know exactly with whom she affiliated herself. Flo gave her time and energy in an unselfish manner that was unsurpassed. She devoted all of her spare time supporting and helping out where needed with her beloved Crossmen.

Flo was always proud of the fact that her daughters Denise and Donna both marched in the Crossmen. When her granddaughters Allie, Andrea and Danielle marched and aged out in the Crossmen as well, it made her beam with pride even more. Flo passed away in 2004, and she is missed by all who knew her. One of her favorite Crossmen shows was the 2003 show "Color," which her granddaughter Allie marched in. She enjoyed that show so much that a recording of the opening statement "Over the Rainbow" was played as part of the services celebrating her life.

Congratulations to Florence and her family on this well deserved honor.

Carl was the Crossmen Director from 1990-1993. His contributions to the Crossmen organization were evident in his very first year at the helm as the Crossmen surged to tie its highest placement at DCI finals. This was a unique time when the Crossmen established themselves as a distinctive and powerful new voice among the elite in the drum corps world. A full and talented staff attracted a full and talented corps and the result was four consecutive seasons of some of the highest scores and placements in the corps' history.

During these years, the Crossmen fielded some of its most aggressive and creative programs ever. Carl's leadership came at the perfect time and place for this assemblage of people and talent as the corps had weathered the difficult storm of the late 1980's and gathered the steam to push forward into arguably four of the most successful and popular seasons in Crossmen history.

Carl always gave credit where credit was due. "It was the performers and the staff's creative genius," he would say. Carl affected many Crossmen kids during his tenure as Crossmen Director and they will never forget the life lessons and leadership they learned through him. Even now, twenty years later, the 1991 and 1992 shows remain some of the Crossmen's proudest moments in DCI.

Congratulations Carl on your well deserved honor, and thank you!

Chris Thomson arrived at the Crossmen percussion program in 1976 along with several music majors from West Chester University. His impact on the program was immediately evident as his background in piano and melody would serve as a substantial upgrade to the keyboard and mallet portion of the percussion. Chris' presence was a valued addition from the start and added depth and notoriety to an already rising program.

As the Crossmen moved into DCI finalist status, Chris' energy and enthusiasm bacame a motivating force for the entire organization. In 1978, while still a marching member, Chris' collaboration on the corps opener "Jazz Rhapsody" was an absolute work of art and the scoring and musicality was the birth of a new sound and direction in the Crossmen percussion program.

As Chris' marching days came to an end, he was just getting started in what would be his real forte, teaching and writing. In 1979, Chris became a member of the Crossmen percussion staff. He helped produce some of the finest drumlines to ever hit the field, and his aggressive ideas and presence was undeniable from 1979-1983. Chris Thompson was a huge contributor to what we have come to know and cherish today as the "Crossmen percussion experience."

Chris spent eight seasons with the Crossmen and in 1984 left to pursue a new challenge with the Madison Scouts. He took his experience to Madison and built another fine program, eventually going on to win DCI with the Scouts in 1988.

Chris exemplifies the true commitment that made the fraternity of Crossmen percussionist what it is today. Congratulations on this well deserved recognition of an outstanding Crossmen.

The Induction Ceremony for the Crossmen Hall of Fame Class of 2011 will take place at the alumni tent in the park outside J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown, PA on Saturday August 6th at 4:30pm.