HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0711.102 2006-2008Mayor Kenoi and Council Members:
Thank you for this opportunity to speak on behalf of our Hawaii County Band.
My name is Laura Ashton and I'm a retired public librarian. As a former branch
manager of both the Pahoa and Mt. View Public and SchoolLibraries, I am well
aware of the important role a public servant plays in connecting our rural
communities to music, the fine arts, and literature.
I have had the experience of playing in an all volunteer community band on the
mainland. I can testify that the musicianship overall was amateurish, band
member attendance at rehearsals and concerts inconsistent, and we neither
marched nor performed at ceremonies. Though we drew volunteers from a
population of 240,000, our band did not sound even half as good as the Hawaii
County Band. Sometimes it's necessary to pay for quality, dependability, and
scope of services rendered.
For years I have attended our Hawaii County Band concerts where our band has
performed to a full cross section of our community as well as to thousands of
tourists. I have watched young children clap and sometimes dance to the band's
music. I have stood with the audience in pride and loyalty as our national and
state anthems are played. At February's concert, I observed a teenager as she
wrote down each piece presented, then starred the gypsy medley noting it was
her favorite. Exposure to a wide variety of good music, to LIVE performances, and
to a professional level of musicality, all this is quite a treasure we have created in
the middle of an ocean.
My father played in the United State Marine Band during WWII and it always
brought tears to his eyes when our county band dedicated its yearly salute to the
armed forces. A professional musician himself, dad often commented on how our
county band is one of the finest in the nation. It is and it should remain so. We
are fortunate to have such a high - quality and multifaceted band. Our band is a
marching band, a concert band, a Hawaiiana band, a ceremonial band. Its
recreational, cultural, educational and spiritual value is immeasurable.
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There's an old Chinese proverb that states, "When you only have two pennies,
buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other." Music is that lily which
uplifts the spirit, speaks in a universal language, and enriches us beyond any price
tag. Our county band is as essential as bread.
My mother would say, "Take care of that which you love." It is not enough to
simply love something; you must protect and nurture that which you value. You
assume a responsibility. You, as our elected officials, have that responsibility to
safeguard and preserve our county band and the societal values it represents.
Your decision to keep the band should be made as if your very soul depended on
it, because, in truth, it does.
Thank you.
Respectfully,
Laura Ashton
Kurtistown, HI