Parents lend band helping hand

There are so many little details that need to be checked before a band takes the track.
Is every plume straight and secure?
Did everyone put on the uniform correctly?
Are shoes tied and hats in place?
In the past, those concerns were handled by Jay County High School band director Kelly Smeltzer and his staff. This year, parents have stepped in.
“He’s got a lot on his plate,” said Jay County Band Boosters president Jennifer Schug. “And he takes on a lot that I thought the parents could help him with.”
So she met with Smeltzer and percussion instructor Mitch Snyder and pitched an idea: Why not let a group of parents deal with the details in order to allow the director and his staff to focus on the big picture?
“We’re here to help so that’s one less thing Kelly has to worry about,” said Chris Krieg, who serves as a “Band Dad” while his wife, Beth, is part of a group of “Band Moms.” “They should just be focused on the competition night in and night out.”
Three other couples — Christina and Kirk Daniels, Jeff and Terri Burk, and Renae and Kyle Epler — are involved in the groups, along with Ricky Brown, Treva Newland, Chuck Denney and Schug.
 The moms play, well, mom, to the band members. Each has been assigned two sections and always has bag of supplies covering anything a band member might need, from hair spray and bobby pins to tape, to cleansing wipes.
“Anything they could possibly need, we’ve got it in the bag,” said Schug.
They also help them to get dressed for the show, which can be difficult.
The new uniforms zip from the back, so some assistance is required from a friend, parent or band mom. It can also be difficult to tie shoes once the not-so-flexible garments are on.
While the moms tend to the band members, the dads handle the equipment. They load and unload the Marching Patriots’ trailer before and after every show and help transport everything to the track or field.
The dads then join the moms in the behind-the-scenes work, making sure everyone is ready for performance time.
For Jeff Burk, who along with some other dads does not like being confined to the stands during the show, the extra involvement has been the perfect escape, and his enthusiasm for the band has grown.
“All of this is very, very awesome. It is one of the best experiences in my life,” he said, adding that he feels more a part of the show rather than just being an observer in his fifth year involved with the Marching Patriots. “I get to know all the kids very well. They all either call me ‘Jeff Burke,’ which they scream, or ‘Papa Burke.’ It’s a neat feeling knowing that you walk up to all these kids at the high school and they all know your name.”
Though Kirk Daniels misses getting to see every band play, the experience has been worthwhile. It’s also built his appreciation for all of the behind-the-scenes effort from Smeltzer and his staff.
“We miss out on the bands playing, but being with the kids and helping them, just being there for them if they need anything, it’s rewarding,” said Daniels. “There’s a lot of work. I didn’t realize there was that much work to it.”
That work includes inspecting uniforms three times before each performance. Everything has to be straight and clean, plumes in place and shoes shining.
Another of the key duties is “watering the kids.” The moms and dads all carry water bottles, keeping the Marching Patriots hydrated during what can be long waits to perform.
“It’s awesome, because I don’t have to worry about anything,” said senior percussionist Connor Daniels. “I think that’s the best part. There’s always someone looking out for us, making sure we have everything we need. They’re on top of everything.
“The biggest thing that I like is the water. They’re constantly around with water, so I never really get thirsty.”
A late addition to the parents’ regimen for Saturday was feeding the Marching Patriots.
The plan had been to stop at a restaurant on the way to Indianapolis, but given the early hour it was decided that anything except fast food would be unavailable. So instead, band parents were in charge of a meal of cold cut sandwiches, fruit and vegetables.
The moms also always have snacks with them, with frozen grapes as a favorite this year. They’re so popular that Schug has 30 pounds ready for the state fair.
All of it has been a help to Smeltzer and his staff.
“We’re excited. We hope to develop it each year a little bit more,” the director said. “We are very thankful as a staff to have those parents who want to help take care of the program.”
The parents are just as thankful for the opportunity. It’s allowed them to not only be more directly involved with their own children, but to get to know the entire group of more than 100 Marching Patriots.
“I love the kids, and that’s what it’s about,” said Burk. “I hope and I pray that they keep doing this. I know all the parents that have done it this year have really enjoyed it. It’s been an awesome experience.”