By Melanie Yingst
Staff Writer

Randy Warner has a passion for animal rights, the pomp and circumstance of marching bands and his "Mayberry-esque" memories of his hometown of Pleasant Hill.

He also has the heart (and kidneys) to do just about anything for his non-profit organization, Las Vegas Marching Arts Inc., to build the state of Nevada's first drum and bugle corps.

An alumni of Newton schools, Warner, 54, of Dolon Springs, Ariz., always was active in the professional drum and bugle corps realm. Warner now is establishing his own corps, the "Silverados," which will be based on the Vegas strip and hopefully be competing around the world by 2010.

When discussing the drum and bugle corps' birth, it didn't take him long to drum up fond memories of his days as part of the Newton High School Marching Band, 36 years ago.

"The most fond memory of my high school life was at the Bradford Pumpkin Show my senior year. We beat Arcanum, our arch-rival at the time," Warner said.

"I will never forget the announcer saying 'for the third year in a row, first place goes to Newton Marching Band!'" Warner said. "It will forever be my greatest memory that I will cherish until my grave."

His passion for music and choreographed marching patterns started at an early age.

"My first memory at age 3, was going to the Ohio State Fair with my parents and I'd wander off to find the marching band wherever it was playing," Warner said. "Each and every time I'd wander off, they'd know exactly where to find me - behind a band."

These days, Warner is focusing his efforts to pump up his drum and bugle corps, which is a more disciplined and precise form of musicians and choreography when compared to school marching bands that perform at half-time shows at football games.

It's with his non-profit drum and bugle corps organization that Warner plans to give back to his community.

Five free first-year scholarships are being set aside to any Newton school student or alumni, between the ages of 13-21, who has the talent and desire to join the Silverados in Las Vegas, after, of course, an audition. Warner, who is founder and president of the organization, estimates the scholarships are worth $2,000 and may be extended in the future to anyone from Miami County who may be interested.

So far, Warner has recruited an impressive A-list of professionals in the world of script writing, music aficionados and celebrity vocal trainers to help pursue his dream of the Silverados being one of the few drum corps that can survive its first year. Warner estimates that it will cost $2 million a year to operate a competitive drum and bugle corps.

Warner is taking his dedication to the organization so seriously that it includes potentially donating his own kidney. Warner's sacrifice was to recruit Tom Roe, a highly respected drum corps judge, to sit on the board of directors of Las Vegas Marching Arts Inc. Warner was found to be a perfect match.

"He needed a kidney and I needed him on the board of directors," Warner said.

"It's a wonderful gesture," Roe said. "Just him offering to do this is great."

Warner credits his birthplace of Pleasant Hill and Newton High School Marching Band in almost every interview and on his own book covers since "it's the town that made me whom I am today."

A nationally recognized animal rights advocate, Warner has donated approximately 2 million copies of the eight animal rights books he's authored to schools around the world. His books also can be found in the Newton school library.

When Warner said his organization still has an extensive list of needs, including monetary contributions.

"I need drill writers, musicians, legal help, seamstresses and anything anyone can think of we need. We'll take anything we can get our grateful hands on," Warner said.

To contribute to Warner's non-profit organization, contact him at (928) 767-4895 or visit www.lasvegasmarchingarts.org.