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Band supporters treated to dinner and a show
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.As the sixth-grade band performed the crowd pleaser “Hang on Sloopy,” members of the band, including instructor Tom Scurich, held up O-H-I-O signs on cue.
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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Members of the sixth-grade band percussion section prepared to perform at the Canfield Band Parents Annual Pasta Dinner and Chinese Auction Feb. 23.
By ABBY SLANKER
The Canfield Band Parents’ annual Pasta Dinner and Chinese auction offered guests both dinner and a show at the high school cafeteria Feb. 23.
Diners were treated to the musical talents of eight Canfield schools bands, from the fifth-grade band to the high school bands, including ensembles and jazz band throughout the day, as they were served a hearty pasta dinner.
The 43rd annual dinner, which is the Canfield bands’ biggest fundraiser of the year, was chaired by Mike Kilbreath.
“This event is for the kids. It is all about them and it is a lot of fun. We really appreciate everyone‘s support, from everyone who comes out for the dinner to all our parent volunteers to the community and local businesses who really came through with many donations to our event,” Kilbreath said.
The money raised from the dinner goes back into the band program to provide such things as sheet music, instruments and uniforms.
According to Bob Ward, public relations chair, the organization expected to serve 1,750 meals throughout the day.
“We are expecting to serve about 1,750 meals and we have 459 families who pitched in one way or another,” Ward said.
Members of the bands volunteered during the dinner, from bussing tables to helping in the kitchen, to preparing take-out orders. Members of the Canfield Band Parents were busy in the kitchen preparing the dinner, which included pasta, meatballs and sausage, salad, bread, beverage and dessert.
Donations from the community helped with the dinner and several local businesses, such as Home Savings, D&D Industrial Services, DeAngelo Orthodontics, Michael Lytle of American Portfolios Financial Services, Sangeetha Kethi D.D.S., Northwood Realty Services, Avion Banquet Center, Reema Taneja, M.D. DiRusso’s Italian Sausage, Kevin Y.T. Chiu of Elsass Financial Group, Rajir Taneja, D.M.D., Marlowe’s Coffee Service, Drake’s Landing Banquet Center and Printing Services Etc. purchased ad space on the placemats, which helped underwrite the costs of the dinner.
The Chinese auction, chaired by Kim Urig, offered 103 baskets. A sample of items up for auction included Pittsburgh Pirates and Cleveland Indians tickets, a 50-inch TV, a pair of UGG boots, a guitar and amplifier, massages, Canfield Cardinal spirit wear and a prom package.
“Our Chinese auction offers something for everyone. We truly appreciate all our donors. Several local small businesses stepped up to help us out. I have found that the little guys do the most. Many small businesses are struggling, but they were still willing to donate to the Canfield band program and we can‘t thank them enough for that,” Urig said.
The auction also offered items from national donors such as Disney, which donated four one-day park hopper passes.
“This year, we did things a little differently to promote the auction. We created a Facebook account and as the donations came in, we posted pictures of the items and created a link to the donor. This was a special thank-you to our donors. We wanted to give back to them as much as possible and let them know how much we appreciate them. We want to support them as much as they support us. It seems to have worked, as we are starting to run out of tickets,” Urig said.
One hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction go toward band uniforms. The band will receive new uniforms this fall for the first time in several years.
The Canfield Band Parents also held a 50/50 raffle during the event and were selling Canfield Band and Canfield Cardinal spirit wear, including T-shirts and sweatshirts. The flower centerpieces were also available for purchase.