The last band banquet

It We have talked about this day for a long time...the last band banquet. In our family high school band was a right of passage. I remember when Faith finally got in high school and was in band...like she finally understood some of what Grace and I had done. When Tory got Mr. Evans as a sixth grader, she seemed to fit more easily with us...it gave us all something in common even though we were so spread out in ages and distance. Band was always a big part of our lives. Tory picked trombone bc she wanted to do something the rest of us hadn't done. She chose well. She surpassed all of us by winning the John Phillips Sousa award  for excellence in band...it was a perfect ending to the night and to our time with the Topeka West Charger Band. After 21 years, Mr. Evans will no longer have a Rose in any of his bands. But music will always be part of us, and the band at Topeka West will always be family. After all, that is where our little family got it start.