Esperance FD "dis-invites" SCS band to parade

2/11/2014

By David Avitabile

Members of the Esperance Fire Department, after learning that the Schoharie school bands will not be performing in the Memorial Day parade in Central Bridge, have "dis-invited" the bands from their Memorial Day parade.
Members of the department agreed at the December meeting to send a letter to the school informing them that their parade will go on, but without the school band.
The letter, dated December 3 and signed by Chief Tim Deffer and Secretary Jean Taylor, asked the district to reconsider the decision not to send the band to the Central Bridge parade, which is held on the morning of Memorial Day, just a few hours before the Esperance parade.
SCS Superintendent Brian Sherman responded to the letter last month.
The district will honor the request of the Esperance FD not to invite the band, Mr. Sherman wrote.
In their letter, members of the Esperance FD felt it was a disservice for the school band not to perform in the parade. The fire department has sponsored the parade in Esperance for nearly 100 years.
The day, they wrote, is important to remember and honor those who gave so much to our country.
"Several generations of our families have come together year after year to pay our respects to those who served in wars domestic and foreign."
Like many other communities across the country, Central Bridge and Esperance hold ceremonies to honor those heroes.
"Many of the members of the Central Bridge and Esperance communities are not only alumni of Schoharie Central School but are taxpayers to the school district and have children and grandchildren who proudly march in the school band.
"We feel it is a disservice to the Central Bridge community, the Fire Department, and the members of your school band to not participate in their parade."
The members of the Esperance FD "strongly urged" the district to reconsider the decision.
"The Central Bridge parade is held a few hours before the Esperance parade and we have worked together to accommodate for the students' needs between the parades.
"In solidarity with our neighbors in Central Bridge, if the Schoharie school bands will not be participating in the Central Bridge parade, we will not be inviting the bands to the parade in Esperance."
In his letter, Mr. Sherman informed members of the department that if they change their mind about not inviting the band, they can do so, but the decision has to be made by February 28. If a decision is made after that time, the district would not be able to make the change due to the necessary practices, rehearsals, and music selections required by the music department.
"Although I disagree with our rationale in making the decision, I fully understand and can appreciate your support and solidarity with the Central Bridge Fire Department's concerns," Mr. Sherman also wrote.
Last week, Mr. Sherman added, "I think it is unfortunate that they have taken that stance but as mentioned in my letter (which was shared with the Board) we will honor their request."
According to an e-mail exchange between Travis Hofmann, the president of the Central Bridge FD, school board President Linda Isles and Mr. Sherman, Ms. Isles did not know about the decision not to have the band in Central Bridge as of October 2013. The e-mails were provided by a member of the Esperance FD.
On October 7, Mr. Hofmann e-mailed Ms. Isles asking about the reasons behind the decision. A week later, Ms. Isles wrote back and said she was not aware of the change but would ask Mr. Sherman.
Mr. Sherman responded to Mr. Hoffmann the same day stating that the decision had been made a year prior.
"The rationale is simple," Mr. Sherman wrote to Mr. Hofmann, "three parades in a single weekend are paying a heavy toll on our band members and their families (they can't go away for the weekend), Mr. (Mark) Pracher has not had a Memorial Day weekend off since the second year he was employed, and there is a cost involved regarding transportation.
"The band will still be performing to honor our veterans on the Thursday before and the Monday after (in the afternoon). This will allow for the students and their families to enjoy the weekend away if they wish."
When the district's decision not to send the band to Central Bridge for the parade came to light in January, Fire Chief Scott Johnson said the parade would still go on and that Mr. Hofmann would be seeking another band for the parade.
A member of the Esperance FD said they will be seeking a band along with Central Bridge.