I have received many thank you’s for ensuring that we had a marching band, once again, in the Summer Celebration Parade. It happened because I am lucky enough to have friends that helped make it possible.

First was Mary Grady, editor of the Reporter. When told of the problem of finding musicians in a very short timeframe, she encouraged me to try and published articles asking for help.

Next, was Sean Quinn, a Mercer Island High School Band trumpeter, who responded to my letter pointing out the importance of musicians giving back to their community that has supported them financially over the years. He put it on the band Facebook page. This resulted in the addition of 17 musicians to our band  to make 31 marchers in total.

They were clarinetists Eric Dubofsky, Julian Hirsch, Ellena Jones; on the mellophone, Jason McRuer; flute, Lindy Elggren; saxophones, Ashley Bobman, Sean Friele and Tiffany Nguyen; sousaphone, Nolan Conway and Caileen Redmond; trombones Collin Nicoll, Annalise King and James Wilson; trumpets, Christopher Gelon, Dani Osman and Sean Quinn. Next to thank is Dr. Brad McDavid, director of the UW Husky Marching Band. He provided the music, a couple of sousaphones and the mellophone and three drum line musicians. Next is Dennis Bloomfield, director of the Bellevue Community Band, who took charge of our one rehearsal to make sure that we sounded as we did. Patrick Negrette and Dave Wyatt on the sousaphones and Steve Robinson, mellophone, as well as Island trumpeter Jim Hanson also came from this band.

Finally, we wish to thank QFC for furnishing refreshments after the parade.

While I enjoy doing this for my community, I have to recognize that my age (almost 95) has to be considered for future band planning (or marching in the band), so am putting faith in others, possibly Dave Menz and Michael Finn to carry on next year.

Bert Pound