The marching band in the July 4 parade (photo by Garrett Colburn)
The Saugerties Marching Band, which made its parade debut on the Fourth of July, received kudos from school staff, administration, and Board of Education trustees at the regular meeting on July 7.
JoAnn Longendyke, president of the Saugerties Education Support Association, said it was “so nice” to see the students performing in the parade, and said all those who were watching around her made positive comments. She said it was something that had missing from the parades in previous years.
Trustee Florence Hyatt echoed that notion, saying the band “spoke Saugerties,” which she called a town full of patriotism and spirit. In addition to giving the band her praise, Hyatt also gave them funds, donating $200.
Superintendent Seth Turner matched her donation, also giving $200. He said he had high hopes for the band’s future, telling music teacher Bernhard Spirig in three years the goal was to be at either Disney or the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
The band was not the only musical talent to receive praise at the meeting. The acts that performed at the June 19 and 20 Morse Rocks Festival also received acclaim. Turner called his time at the festival “an awesome experience,” and said the best part was that it was 100 percent volunteer driven. Brad Hoffstatter, whose daughter Katie performed at the event, agreed that it was an amazing experience, but expressed dismay that so few people from the local community turned out. He said he hoped the audience would grow in the future.