The Boards of Directors of the legendary Bridgemen Drum and Bugle Corps organization of Bayonne, New Jersey and the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps of Camden County, New Jersey are pleased to announce the establishment of an unprecedented, exciting and innovative formal strategic alliance between the two groups, designed to help maximize the fulfillment of their respective missions while creating explosive new opportunities for ongoing creative collaboration.

The first phase of the partnership already underway will identify and develop and refine opportunities for sharing professional, business and performing arts resources and a number of joint fund-raising and financial development efforts designed to bolster the sustainability of both entities. The pact will also serve to create expanded participation and performance opportunities for the two performing corps and several jointly-sponsored projects currently in development.

"The relaunch of the Bridgemen Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 helped expose a new generation of fans to some of the unique performance elements and level of excellence for which the Bridgemen were well known to drum corps fans around the world during their years as a competitive unit,” said Bob Jacobs, Executive Director and CEO of the Jersey Surf, currently in its 22nd year of operations. “Simply stated, if there were no Bridgemen, there likely would have never been a Jersey Surf, as their performance style in the 1970s and 80s deeply inspired and motivated those of us who started the Surf program in 1989. We are honored and extremely excited that we will have this opportunity to share the storied legacy of one of drum corps’ most revered brands, developing new opportunities along with the Bridgemen, while also fostering increased organizational stability and a number of new creative projects for the benefit of current and future members of the Jersey Surf.”

"By joining forces, the Bridgemen and the Jersey Surf can work to expand our respective operations in innovative new ways,” said George Lavelle, Director of the Bridgemen Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps. “The two organizations share many common values and have much to offer one-another. After several months of planning meetings and presentations, we’re pleased to be able to make this official announcement against the backdrop of the Tournament of Stars and Bayonne Veterans Stadium as we come together to create a new chapter in the colorful history of competitive drum corps in New Jersey. We already share in this tremendous legacy, and now we’ll help to shape its future with an incredible amount of passionate new energy which is already starting to expand rapidly. Without a doubt, this is going to be a great new era for the Bridgemen, the Jersey Surf and for drum corps fans everywhere.”

John Nadrowski, president of the Bridgemen Organization, echoed Lavelle’s sentiments. “Through our partnership, each of the generations of our Bridgemen family hopes to have the opportunity to celebrate all that we’ve achieved with a new group of friends, while assisting the Jersey Surf with its mission of bringing an outstanding experience to everyone involved in its organization. We look forward to sharing our history and our passion with the members, staff, volunteers and alumni of the Jersey Surf and we expect to learn a great deal from them as well."