Community Band’s Concert Saturday Celebrates Season of Giving

It's a family affair -- from left: Ron Meyers, his granddaughter Kailley Grantham, her mother Tammy Grantham, Karen Speck, Ken Speck, Pat LIttlewood, Bob LIttlewood, Gil Blinn and Karen Blinn. See them and the rest of the band this Saturday at 2 p.m.

By Karen Speck

Saturday, December 18 at 2 p.m. at Orcas Center a wonderful event takes place.

It is the Orcas Island Community Band’s “The Holidays Are Here” concert.

The Band feels music is for everyone and no one should be turned away due to finances. The concert is free – especially fitting for this holiday season-of-giving.

Band President Sue Kimple grew up on Orcas Island.  She recalls being in the high school band here when she was only thirteen years old. “Mr. Gudgell learned from someone that I played flute and said I should join his band.  He taught us all how to play in a band.”  Wally Gudgell Sr. taught band at the Orcas School from 1964-1974.

Times were different back then. It was the “in” thing to be in a band.  According to Sue, “It seemed like most of the school was in the band!”  In fact, Sue remembers, “The school was smaller and everyone knew each other.”

It’s no surprise then that Sue’s husband Bob Kimple was a trumpet player back then as is Bob’s sister Linda Griffith.  Linda remembers her first foray into music. “Mr. Gudgell brought in a record player and played ‘Peter and the Wolf’ for us and explained all the instruments we were hearing. I was hooked!” One day Linda saw a French horn in the school cupboard and got very excited. “I’ve always wanted to play one of these.  Can I?”  Mr. Gudgell said, “Sure” and today that is the instrument Linda plays in Community Band.

Just as Sue and Linda are sisters-in-law, many Community Band members are either married or related.  Ron Myers is a percussionist with the Band, while his daughter Tammy Grantham plays clarinet and granddaughter Kailley plays flute.  “We talk frequently about being in the band together. It’s a positive family-thing,” says Ron.

Ron even said music makes its way into his Christmas cards as he’d written about the joy of making music with his granddaughter and daughter.

Other couples in the Community Band are Pat and Bob Littlewood, Leah and Ed Hutsell, Ken and Karen Speck and Dimitri and Lorena Stankevich.  “Music brings people together in so many ways,” said Ken Speck.

Let the Band bring you the spirit of the season this weekend.  Under the direction of Joe Babcock, “A Concert by the Orcas Island Community Band” is Saturday, December 18^th, 2 .p.m. at Orcas Center. Admission by donation and free dessert party afterwards.