Local band heading to D.C. for veterans performance
LEETONIA, Ohio (WKBN) – The Leetonia band director got a letter in the mail asking if they wanted to perform in the National Veterans Day parade.
Randy Rodiak still doesn't know how the band got picked, but it was a legitimate invitation and the band will join two other high schools and perform. It's a three-day adventure from Leetonia to the nation's capital.
The Leetonia High School band is tuned up and geeked up to perform in Washington, D.C. at the National Veterans Day parade.
"I really hope that it's a huge sense of pride for everybody here. I mean, the band feels amazing that we were chosen to go there and do this," said senior Ella Harris.
"We've gone to Florida many times, but this is a different beast, and it's an honor, honestly," said Rodiak.
The playlist is all patriotic. Jamison Adkins will carry her two grandfathers in her heart. They served together in the military.
"My favorite song probably is "Battle Hymn of the Republic." It's just so upbeat, it fills your heart with a lot of pride," Adkins said.
The band has 40 members. It's costing $600 apiece but would've been over $1,000 without community donations knocking the price down.
The band leaves Saturday for the three-day trip. It's a source of pride for the school and community and will take a big part of Leetonia with it.
"Because it's Veterans Day, we're playing for more of a cause, or it's just very cool to be able to do that, come from a small town like Leetonia and go there and play for these people that have done so much for us," Harris said.
The band will perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and march to the World War II Memorial for another performance. Then play another concert at the Iwo Jima Memorial. It's the trip of a lifetime.
"We got really great kids here, and I think when they see just how many people care about the country and care about what the veterans did, that's going to be big musically. They're going to see that there's more kids like them out there that do this,' Rodiak said.
The kids leave Saturday and come home Tuesday. They're doing a patriotic concert locally Friday, so the community can hear them play. It's at noon at VFW Post 5532 in Washingtonville. The concert is free, open to the public, and includes songs they're not performing in Washington D.C.
