Fourth of July Concert Is Held
More than 200 people attended the sixth annual Monticello Community Band Independence Day concert Wednesday at 319 College Street.
Directed by Jehan El-Jourbagy, the band played several patriotic selections while raindrops danced about. It never rained enough to stop the concert, but there were several threats with more than a few raindrops falling.
Festivities kicked off about 6 p.m. when several groups set up their picnic suppers and some decorated their tables in preparation of the table decoration contest. There were three awards for that—the best theme, the most red, white and blue, and the most over-the-top.
Winners were the Savage family for most over-the-top. Judge Betty Jean Jordan commented, “who would’ve thought to combine UGA with the 4th to really show patriotism!” The Savages had a UGA tent, and underneath they were having a popping time with traditional 4th of July fare along with chocolate truffles featuring pop rock centers.
The tent belonging to Donnie Pope, candidate for sheriff, won the award for the most red, white and blue. The theme tent was one put up by a Presbyterian family or two, and the theme was the most Presbyterians in one place.
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Each winning table won a gift certificate to a local restaurant.
In addition, this year for the first time a children’s sidewalk parade was held. There were only a few participants, with this being the first year, but it is expected to grow. It was sponsored by the Snap ‘N Turtle. The winning “float” was the wagon decorated and pulled by Loren and Boone Pope.
Members of the American Legion held a flag-raising featuring the flag that was flying when Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner, a 15-star, 15-stripe flag, and a current American flag. Technical difficulties kept the flags from flying, but they were raised enough to salute for the national anthem. Regis-Marie Z. Stamey was soloist.
Those in the color guard include Bob Brill Ed Young, Jeff House, Billy Johnson, Bill Zaluska, Sidney Jackson, Dan Cleveland and James Beverly.
The concert kicked off a few minutes early with an eye on the radar trying to get the concert in between storm cells. After the Star Spangled Banner, the band played American Flourish then Stars and Stripes Forever. Next was another John Philip Sousa song, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
Ann Mercer of the Historical Foundation gave an update on the renovation of the school building on whose grounds the concert was held and invited everyone back to a “hard hat party” tentatively scheduled for August 11.
Next the band played America the Beautiful. After that, Fred Paul, commander of the local American Legion post, announced the winner of a raffle the group held for a $100 gift card to the local Ingles. That was won by Duane Pitts, and picked up by her husband, Tim Pitts.
Also at that time, Ms. El-Jourbagy asked members and veterans of each arm of the Armed Forces to stand up. The Coast Guard was not represented, but the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force were all there.
The band played an Armed Forces Salute, a medley of several songs, followed by An American in Paris. Next the band played With Malice Toward None while John DeGarmo and Stone Workman read about the life of Abraham Lincoln.
That was followed by Hogan’s Heroes March, and the final selection was the Ultimate Patriotic Sing-Along, led by Bobbi Sauls. The band played one more piece as an encore, and the crowd dispersed.
