Return of the French Dukes

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The first performance, scheduled for Saturday July 14, beginning at 5 p.m., is at Veterans Memorial Park on Maple Rd. on the city's west side. A2 Ole Skool Family Productions, a three-year old local charity, is sponsoring the event.

Lisa Jones, president of the organization, and former Summit Street resident who now lives in Belleville, says the picnic is being held to thank the community for supporting the organization's efforts to provide food assistance to the area's needy families this past winter. Bringing the drill team back was a major goal and now that the word is out she says "people can't wait to see them again," she says--gleefully adding that reuniting the drill team "has been such a pleasure."

Jones recruited her former Pioneer High classmates Lee "Tink" Dameron, 45, and his older brother, Corey "Snoop" Dameron, 49, to help round up former drill team members; French Duke Larry Young, Jr. was especially helpful. This summer the reconstituted group has been coming to Ann Arbor Farmer's Market, usually following a day's work in the late afternoon, to practice drill routines in preparation for the upcoming performances.