I was so blessed to see the Polk County Cadets marching band on the front page of the Tryon Daily Bulletin on Wednesday, Oct. 18. As a former band parent (my stepson was drum major for the Smoky Mountain High School band in Sylva, N.C.) and as a former band member (I was a member of the Cavalier Band in Forest City, N.C. in the 70’s), I can speak from both sides of the experience.

I congratulate the band on their victories at the recent Chase Trojan Tournament of Bands at Chase High School. Behind those trophies is an enormous amount of hard work, dedication, time, money and team work on the part of the kids and their families! With all the attention given to sports these days, I just wanted to salute a group of young people who have cultivated their gifts (probably over a number of years) and are reaping some of the benefits of the effort they put into marching band. 

I was privileged to tour Europe with my marching band and attend the World Music Festival in the Netherlands. We had a 40-year reunion at East Rutherford High School in 2010 to commemorate that event, and what a joy it was to see the band mates who shared that experience with me.

These kids will carry this talent with them throughout their lives and I know (from experience) that it will bring them great joy! Maybe one of them will come back and be a band director and carry on the legacy! It happened at my high school!

Congratulations, Polk County Cadets for a job well done!

Joanne Gentry Midyette, Tryon, N.C.