The Cook County High School Band, directed by Kerri Bilben, hosted a wonderful Veterans Day Concert on Monday, November 12. In addition to the Star Spangled Banner, the band performed Of Courage and Patriotism composed by James Curnow and the Armed Forces Salute by Bob Lowden. During the patriotic salute veterans from various branches of the service were asked to stand and be recognized for their service.
The Cook County High School varsity gym was crowded with students from kindergarten through 12th grade, as well as a hundred or more community members—many of them veterans— on Monday, November 12 for a special Veterans Day band concert.
Cook County Schools Principal Gwen Carman welcomed everyone to the concert, which was hosted in cooperation with American Legion Post 413 and the Legion Auxiliary. The Legion Honor Guard started the event with the presentation of the flags, followed by the National Anthem performed by the CCHS band and sung beautifully by senior Sarah Larsen.
U.S. Border Patrol Supervisor Richard Fortunato, a Navy veteran and talented bagpiper, stepped forward to play. He was joined by his son, Cy Fortunato, a high school junior on drums. The duo performed a very moving rendition of Amazing Grace.
Band Director Kerri Bilben introduced the patriotic piece that the CCHS band was to play, Of Courage and Patriotism by James Curnow, a difficult piece—stirring and inspiring.
Above: Former principal and World War II veteran Leonard Sobanja was the guest speaker at the Veterans Day Concert. Left: Band members Levi Axtell and Libby Zafft played Taps at the end of the concert.
Principal Carman then introduced the guest speaker for the day, a former CCHS principal and a World War II veteran, Leonard Sobanja. Sobanja started by talking about a tradition he recalled from his youth. Sobanja said his teachers would bring studies to a halt on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month— Armistice Day. The teacher would ask students to place their right hand on their heart and be silent for one minute, in honor of and remembrance of those lost in war.
Sobanja talked a bit about Armistice Day and Veterans Day traditions and he spoke of his recent trip to Washington D.C. on the Northland Honor Flight, which helps veterans get to the Capitol city to see the memorial named in their honor.
In closing, Sobanja asked the attentive crowd to do what he was asked to do as a child. He asked everyone to place their hand over their heart and pause to remember. The crowded gym was hushed as everyone—kindergartners through senior citizens— thoughtfully considered his message.
The band played again, this time a medley of the anthems of the different branches of the service. As each song was played, veterans of that branch of service— Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, and Air Force—were asked to stand and be recognized.
As the service tunes faded, the crowd was asked to join in song with God Bless America.
The Legion Color Guard retired the colors and the concert ended with Taps, played by Levi Axtell and Libby Zafft. The trumpeters stood at opposite corners, the mournful sound echoing through the gym.
It was a meaningful ending to a beautiful and melancholy musical tribute to our veterans.
The “Cookies for Troops” collection at the CCHS Veterans Day Concert was very successful. The Cook County Student Council members will be sending nine boxes of cookies to soldiers in Afghanistan through Operation Minnesota Nice. Learn more at www.operationminnesotanice.com.
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