An Exciting Performance

To the Editor:

On October 8, The Newtown Nighthawks Marching Band and Guard hosted their 10th Annual Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band Festival at Newtown High School. The event, which is usually held outdoors in the stadium, had to be moved indoors to the auditorium due to the heavy rain that fell that evening but no spirits were dampened by the weather. The nine bands and color guards that performed that evening did an outstanding job and delighted the spectators and fellow participants as well!

The festival would not have been possible without the help and support of many people. The Festival Committee would like to thank the Newtown Board of Education: Dr Evan Pitkoff, superintendent of schools; Ms Arlene Gottesman, Newtown High School principal; the Newtown High School custodial staff; Mr Greg Simon, athletic director; Mr Rich Novia and his security staff; Mr John Harned, chorus director and the members of the NHS select choir who sang our national anthem; the NHS Tech Team; Dan and Patti Barrett and the Blue and Gold Athletic Association; Newtown Parks & Recreation Department; and the Newtown Department of Public Works.

We would like to thank the many local merchants who purchased advertising in support of the Festival Program fundraiser; the Newtown Bee and the Danbury News-Times for their coverage of the event; band director Kurt Eckhardt and his wonderful staff; our senior class band members who acted as escorts for the visiting bands; and all of our dedicated, hard working band parents who were always ready to step up and take on any task to get the job done.

We would also like to thank Stop and Shop and Big Y for their contributions and Caldwell & Walsh Building Construction, Inc, J.P. Maguire, Inc, and SMT, Inc, for providing extra parking space for the evening.

We would like to congratulate Mr Eckhardt, his staff, and most of all the Newtown High School Marching Band and Color Guard for an exciting and outstanding performance.

Susan and Neil Aiello

Barbara and Bill Webb

16 Crabapple Lane, Sandy Hook                              October 12, 2005