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North Schuylkill ready to strike up the alumni band
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saturday@newsitem.com
FRACKVILLE — There’s an old expression that says you can’t go home again. That is not a deterrent for a group of North Schuylkill High School (NSHS) alumni who don’t plan on returning home but do plan on returning to high school for homecoming.
“So far the response has been great,” said Wendy Frew, a 2000 NSHS graduate and president of the recently-formed North Schuylkill Spartan Alumni Band.
Present plans call for the alumni band to perform with the high school’s current Spartan Band during halftime at the homecoming football game scheduled for Friday, Oct. 3, at Spartan Stadium.
Frew explained that the seed for the idea was planted by a suggestion at a NSHS Band Booster meeting last fall.
“My mother came home from that meeting and had volunteered me,” said Frew.
Liking the idea, she recruited another NSHS band member and graduate, Brian Lazarski, Ashland, Class of 2007, to help out with the project. Frew and Lazarski, both trumpet players, continue to make music performing with the Upper Schuylkill Marching Band and the Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts group.
Their first objective was to determine if there was any interest in the idea from other band alumni, so they created a page about the proposed band on the Web site MySpace. The Web page is accessible at www.myspace.com/nsalumniband.
“Within two weeks we had 50 some members,” said Lazarski, vice president. He pointed out that there are other Web sites devoted to the band as well, including one with message boards located online at www.geocities.com/nsalumniband.
Encouraged by this foundation of excitement and with the backing of the North Schuylkill Band Boosters organization, Frew and Lazarski approached members of the facility and administration of North Schuylkill with the idea. They worked closely with NSHS Principal Sharon Snyder and the present band director, Chris Gunnell, as well as the Homecoming Committee and those in charge of building usage before approaching the school board to seek their permission for the band.
At its May meeting, the North Schuylkill Board of Education gave permission for the group to form and to perform at homecoming this year. At that point in time, more than 70 former band members showed an interest.
“Mostly we are getting people of a certain age group that are more into the computer, graduates from like 1997 and on. We are looking for band members from Frackville, Girardville, Ashland and Ringtown high schools. Even if you are in a wheelchair, you can play with us, we’ll put you on the sidelines during the show,” said Frew.
With the response thus far, Lazarski said they have a fairly balanced band, including former band front members.
“One problem we are having is that a lot of people don’t have their instruments anymore,” said Frew. Gunnell, the current North Schuylkill Band Director, has graciously agreed to provide certain instruments that members may borrow for practices and the performance.
Plans call for the group to practice on Sunday afternoons between 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 14, 21 and 28. They will meet at the lower parking lot of the high school. Practices are not mandatory but they ask that participants try to attend at least one. Music, instruments and color guard equipment will be passed out on a first-come first serve basis.
“It is going to be like old times sitting in the stands. We’ll be playing stand songs like ‘Hang on Sloopy’ and ‘Shoop, Shoop.’ They don’t play those anymore,” said Frew. The alumni are scheduled to perform the national anthem and the Alma Mater prior to the game with the high school band.
According to Frew, the two songs chosen for the halftime performance, “Vehicle” and “Brass Roots,” are ones many band members should be familiar with.
“I am hoping it is like riding a bike. After all, we played that music for six years. I think it will come back to me,“ said NS Alumni Band member Beth (Wright) Noeckler, Class of 1999. Noeckler admitted she hasn’t touched her clarinet since graduation.
“In fact, I couldn’t find it so I went out and bought another one. I know it sounds hokey, but the friends I made in the band are still my friends. They are my lifelong friends. I am so happy to be doing this,” said Noeckler.
Alumni from Oregon. Alabama, South Carolina and all over Pennsylvania have expressed an interest in the group.
“Everything has been so positive so far. Now we are just waiting to get everyone’s registrations back. We hope this will be just the first of our performances,” said Frew.
Because the group will be practicing and performing on high school property, the organization must be covered by liability insurance. After much brainstorming regarding this problem, it was determined that all members will be required to pay a $2 fee, which will make them a member of the NSHS Band Boosters and thus automatically covered by their insurance.
“We really could not have done this without the Boosters organization. They have been wonderful to us,” said Frew. The Boosters also agreed to manage funds for the band so they do not have to be concerned with money matters this year.
The “uniform” for the performance will be a long sleeve T-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Specially designed T-shirts for band members and their families will be available at the cost of $13 a piece. They are not mandatory. If plans go well, the group is also planning a post-game reception in the cafeteria. Frew asked that all registrations be received by the end of August in order to place the T-shirt order in time and to determine the exact number of performers.
For more information on the band, contact Frew or Lazarski online at the sites previously mentioned or contact them directly by phone. Frew’s phone number is 640-5898 and Lazarski can be reached at 875-9889.
FRACKVILLE — There’s an old expression that says you can’t go home again. That is not a deterrent for a group of North Schuylkill High School (NSHS) alumni who don’t plan on returning home but do plan on returning to high school for homecoming.
“So far the response has been great,” said Wendy Frew, a 2000 NSHS graduate and president of the recently-formed North Schuylkill Spartan Alumni Band.
Present plans call for the alumni band to perform with the high school’s current Spartan Band during halftime at the homecoming football game scheduled for Friday, Oct. 3, at Spartan Stadium.
Frew explained that the seed for the idea was planted by a suggestion at a NSHS Band Booster meeting last fall.
“My mother came home from that meeting and had volunteered me,” said Frew.
Liking the idea, she recruited another NSHS band member and graduate, Brian Lazarski, Ashland, Class of 2007, to help out with the project. Frew and Lazarski, both trumpet players, continue to make music performing with the Upper Schuylkill Marching Band and the Lift Your Spirits Performing Arts group.
Their first objective was to determine if there was any interest in the idea from other band alumni, so they created a page about the proposed band on the Web site MySpace. The Web page is accessible at www.myspace.com/nsalumniband.
“Within two weeks we had 50 some members,” said Lazarski, vice president. He pointed out that there are other Web sites devoted to the band as well, including one with message boards located online at www.geocities.com/nsalumniband.
Encouraged by this foundation of excitement and with the backing of the North Schuylkill Band Boosters organization, Frew and Lazarski approached members of the facility and administration of North Schuylkill with the idea. They worked closely with NSHS Principal Sharon Snyder and the present band director, Chris Gunnell, as well as the Homecoming Committee and those in charge of building usage before approaching the school board to seek their permission for the band.
At its May meeting, the North Schuylkill Board of Education gave permission for the group to form and to perform at homecoming this year. At that point in time, more than 70 former band members showed an interest.
“Mostly we are getting people of a certain age group that are more into the computer, graduates from like 1997 and on. We are looking for band members from Frackville, Girardville, Ashland and Ringtown high schools. Even if you are in a wheelchair, you can play with us, we’ll put you on the sidelines during the show,” said Frew.
With the response thus far, Lazarski said they have a fairly balanced band, including former band front members.
“One problem we are having is that a lot of people don’t have their instruments anymore,” said Frew. Gunnell, the current North Schuylkill Band Director, has graciously agreed to provide certain instruments that members may borrow for practices and the performance.
Plans call for the group to practice on Sunday afternoons between 2 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 14, 21 and 28. They will meet at the lower parking lot of the high school. Practices are not mandatory but they ask that participants try to attend at least one. Music, instruments and color guard equipment will be passed out on a first-come first serve basis.
“It is going to be like old times sitting in the stands. We’ll be playing stand songs like ‘Hang on Sloopy’ and ‘Shoop, Shoop.’ They don’t play those anymore,” said Frew. The alumni are scheduled to perform the national anthem and the Alma Mater prior to the game with the high school band.
According to Frew, the two songs chosen for the halftime performance, “Vehicle” and “Brass Roots,” are ones many band members should be familiar with.
“I am hoping it is like riding a bike. After all, we played that music for six years. I think it will come back to me,“ said NS Alumni Band member Beth (Wright) Noeckler, Class of 1999. Noeckler admitted she hasn’t touched her clarinet since graduation.
“In fact, I couldn’t find it so I went out and bought another one. I know it sounds hokey, but the friends I made in the band are still my friends. They are my lifelong friends. I am so happy to be doing this,” said Noeckler.
Alumni from Oregon. Alabama, South Carolina and all over Pennsylvania have expressed an interest in the group.
“Everything has been so positive so far. Now we are just waiting to get everyone’s registrations back. We hope this will be just the first of our performances,” said Frew.
Because the group will be practicing and performing on high school property, the organization must be covered by liability insurance. After much brainstorming regarding this problem, it was determined that all members will be required to pay a $2 fee, which will make them a member of the NSHS Band Boosters and thus automatically covered by their insurance.
“We really could not have done this without the Boosters organization. They have been wonderful to us,” said Frew. The Boosters also agreed to manage funds for the band so they do not have to be concerned with money matters this year.
The “uniform” for the performance will be a long sleeve T-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. Specially designed T-shirts for band members and their families will be available at the cost of $13 a piece. They are not mandatory. If plans go well, the group is also planning a post-game reception in the cafeteria. Frew asked that all registrations be received by the end of August in order to place the T-shirt order in time and to determine the exact number of performers.
For more information on the band, contact Frew or Lazarski online at the sites previously mentioned or contact them directly by phone. Frew’s phone number is 640-5898 and Lazarski can be reached at 875-9889.
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