Around 600 alumni band members returned to bid farewell to beloved former director By ARIAN SMEDLEY Messenger staff journalist Every year, Ohio University’s homecoming offers an opportunity for Marching 110 alumni band members to put on their green jackets, stand in formation, test their physical abilities against the passage of time and reconnect. This year, it was something more. It was a chance to honor and celebrate the beloved long-time marching band director Ronald Socciarelli, who died in February. He was 79. “Mr. Socciarelli was the key reason why I marched and why so many others marched,” said Brian Parsons, of Avon, who marched the tuba from 19811983. “He not only was the band director, he was a mentor and a father figure.” “When he died, there was a large outpouring between emails, phone calls and Facebook posts about what to do about a memorial service,” said Mike Carpenter, of Athens, who marched from 1977-1980 and was Socciarelli’s assistant from 1981-1983. Shortly after his funeral in Aiken, S.C., where he and his wife Cherry retired, the university agreed to use the homecoming theme “Better than the best ever,” one of Socciarelli’s favorite phrases. “He was a feisty little guy. He was way bigger than his stature,” said Bill Hoops, of New Lexington, who marched the tenor sax from 1985-1987. “He was very much about perfection. That was the driving force behind the theme (last) weekend. We don’t want to be as good as, we want to be better than the best ever. That was it.” Both Carpenter and Andy Barber, the current president of the Marching 110 Alumni Society, would spend the next three months organizing the activities that centered around honoring the man, who had such an impact on their lives, and his family. The response was overwhelming. Around 600 alumni members descended upon Athens for the special commemoration. About 500 alumni performed in the parade and during the halftime show. Together with the current band, close to 700 players marched onto the field during half time, stretching practically end zone to end zone.
It was by-far the largest homecoming the band has ever had, Carpenter said. Usually, only about 300 alumni return. For some, it was this first time back in Athens since graduation. “I don’t think we’re ever going to see a weekend again with that many back for the alumni band,” said Jo Carpenter, Mike Carpenter’s wife. Jo Carpenter, the first female trombone player, marched from 1976-1980. “There were people in their 60s and people in their 20s,” she continued. The Friday night of homecoming, the symphonic band and the wind symphony, under the direction of current 110 Director Richard Suk and Director of Bands Andrew Trachsel, performed some of Socciarelli’s favorite selections. His wife Cherry and daughters Kathy Socciarelli, Amy Bevan and Beth Ross were called up on the stage where a service award was presented to their late husband and father by the School of Music Society of Alumni and Friends. Saturday evening three former members spoke about their memories of “Mr. S,” as they called him. The first scholarships named in his honor were also distributed. “It was all very heartwarming,” said Cherry Socciarelli. “He would have been proud of it. Even after he retired, he remembered every single one of them. He loved them and they loved him in return. So many have said he instilled in them a work ethic that carried into their lives after they left.” “He was a wonderful husband and father,” she said of her husband of 51 years. “It was very emotional — the joy and tears.” “It was a cathartic moment for people who loved him so much,” Parsons said of the weekend celebrations. “When a lot of us heard of his passing, there was no way to gain any closure. This was going to be our closure to really send him off in the right way.” Socciarelli, a native of upstate New York, is so far the longest-serving Marching 110 director, having held the position from 1973-1990. He oversaw a series of firsts for the band. In 1974, the 110 began the annual tradition of performing at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus. In 1976, they were the first marching band ever to perform in Carnegie Hall in New York. He re-admitted women in 1976 and started the tradition of the Meeting of the Old Men, according to former members.
“Old Men” in this case are upperclassman, no matter the person’s gender. The “meeting” happens during band camp, which happens before the start of every season. The freshman stand on one side of the field, the old men stand on the other. On command, the two groups march through each other, without colliding. Once the group is intermeshed, they no longer march as rookies and old men — they are the 110. For the rookies, it was an initiation into what will become an extension of themselves, an “unconditional family,” as Parsons puts it. It’s a tradition that continues today, according to Suk. Socciarelli instilled “an emotional spark” in the members that pushed them to perfection, Jo Carpenter said. “When you think you’ve given your all, he would ask us to give just five more minutes, which we all knew was more than five minutes,” she said with a laugh. It was that mentality, that drive, that push that elevated the band to its present-day popularity. Socciarelli also served as the conductor of the concert band, wind symphony and university-community band. In addition, he taught conducting and wind literature. During his years of teaching, Socciarelli commissioned and premiered musical compositions by many significant composers, according to his obituary. “He defined what the band became,” Hoops said. “The band was driven by itself and guided by him. It’s because of the structure that he helped to cement that 700 people (the alumni and current band) can go onto a field and within an hour be working together. It may not be the best-oiled machine, but it works. As soon as you step on that field, you speak the same language and operate the same way. That’s a testament to him and what he developed and what still exists today.” asmedley@athensmessenger.com Follow on Twitter @ArianSMessenger ***
Therapeutic riding center offers unique service to children with disabilities For children with disabilities, many times they need therapies to help them through both physical and mental challenges they may face. Trainers with these unique skills can be hard to find in Southeast Ohio. But this year, one
local horse farm became certified to offer a therapeutic service for children with special needs. The Windy Hills Therapeutic Riding Center is located on Windy Hills Farm, a 150-acre farm near Amesville that has a rich history dating back 200 years. The center, which is part of PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horses) International, began riding lessons this fall. “It’s taken my two loves and combined them,” said Lisa Bonner, a multiple disabilities teacher at East Elementary and the certified instructor for the class. At a recent class, 2-year-old Fiona Meyer giggled and smiled while sitting on a 14-year-old Paso Fino named Retto. Meyer was born with agensis of the corpus callosum, which means the structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain (the corpus callosum) is partially or completely absent. In Meyer’s case, it’s partially absent. It’s caused her to have challenges with body coordination and significant developmental delays, said her mother Megan McElligott-Meyer. Learning to balance on the horse builds up the core strength that will eventually help her to walk on her own. During the session, Bonner walks along one side, holding Meyer’s foot. Her mother walks along the other side, with her hands on the other foot. Five weeks ago, the picture looked much different. “We had to hold her back up before,” said Bonner. “She would flop back too often. She’s supporting herself now after just five sessions.” Her mother notes other major developments. She can now assist her daughter’s walk by holding just one hand, as opposed to both. Meyer sits up on her own now, something she couldn’t do before. “She looks at the world differently when she’s on the horse,” said McElligottMeyer. “The input she gets from the horse stimulates all the muscles...she’s just a different kid. I wouldn’t go without it at this point.” The Windy Hills TRC is the only center of its kind within about a two-hour drive; there’s one in Centerburg and one on Ohio University’s Southern campus. One family drives to Windy Hills from Logan for the sessions. For McElligott-Meyer, who lives in Athens, having the horse therapy so close to home has been “fantastic.” Her daughter receives some services for her disability locally, but most of her daughter’s specialists are in Columbus,
Cincinnati or Marietta. “I feel blessed with our early intervention coordinator and our physical therapy here,” she said. “Outside of that, we have struggled.” Gerry Hilferty and Jackie Fokes, owners of the estate, said the creation of the therapeutic riding center was a natural outgrowth of their natural horsemanship. “With natural horsemanship, you learn first the horse’s language — how they communicate with each other, how they move each other around,” Hilferty said. “Then you emulate that and you can do incredible things with them.” The couple has 40 years of experience breeding, raising, training and showing Paso Fino horses. Windy Hills is also home to Hilferty’s design firm, Hilferty and Associates, which plans national horse museums. They also host natural horsemanship clinics. “This is much more rewarded to us than getting a medal,” Hilferty said, as he motioned to the ring where Meyer was riding. “I don’t know which is better, the kid’s face or the parent’s face.” Bonner knew, based on her experience, the area lacked activities for children with disabilities. She planned to open her own operation after she became certified with PATH, a process that took just over one year. When she learned long-time friends Hilferty and Fokes wanted to take part, it seemed like a perfect fit. In the first five-week session, Bonner enrolled five students, whose ages range from toddler to teenager. Most of the students have cerebral palsy, but the therapy can be used for a variety of conditions, even autism. During a lesson, India Mitchell, 16, of Athens, groomed, lead and rode the horse around the arena, all skills that strengthen her core and balance. It also helps relax her legs, she said. Mitchell has cerebral palsy. Albany has horse therapy programs that are geared toward behavioral (mental) health. At Windy Hills, it’s more physical. Although, the physical and mental go hand-in-hand, explains Fokes. “Our goal in this is to teach them to ride,” she said. “When people do that, no matter your age, you’ll find these other benefits — more confidence, more focus, more goal setting. You find the emotional and physical kind of go together.” For more information about the program or the farm, visit
www.windyhillsfarm.com or call (740) 448-2555. ***
Area food pantries see drop in donations, jump in need It’s noon at the Salvation Army on East State Street. Not many people are there, but within minutes, a line forms all the way to the exit door. Each person is seeking some sort of assistance. One man leaves with a visibly worn plastic tricycle. One woman is given a $25 gift card to Big Lots. She’s told it’s to help with Christmas. The Salvation Army, along with other assistance programs, has seen a jump in the number of people served, particularly for the food pantry. But donations have dropped. With expected cuts to Ohio’s Food Assistance (also known as food stamps), tight-belt budgets are expected to get a little tighter — even for the food banks, which provide food to pantries like the Salvation Army. The Southeastern Ohio Food Bank in Logan, which provides food to 72 agencies in 10 counties, already has a hard time reaching everyone. About 18 percent of the population in those counties is food insecure; 28.5 percent are children, according to Director Tracy Galway. Food insecurity means an individual or family may not know where they’ll get their next meal. The food bank reaches only about 14 percent of that population. “The need is greater than we can possibly provide,” Galway said. “With the impact coming with food stamp reductions, we have that gray cloud looming. That’s going to increase demand on food pantries.” Households will see about $23 less each month in food assistance starting Jan. 1. Back at the Salvation Army, coordinator Jennifer Cooper offers a tour of the food pantry in the next room. She walks around describing the layout. Canned vegetables are in one corner — there are just a few cans left. Carbs, like macaroni and cheese, rice and cereals, are in another corner. The spot for juices is empty — they’ve already run out. Canned meats and pop-top cans are reserved for the homeless or for those without the means to cook, she explains. She’s running low on those, too. “We don’t judge the people who can’t give us anything because we understand the need is everywhere,” Cooper said. “People have to make tough choices of what to do with their money.”
The Salvation Army Food Pantry serves individuals and families who live 200 percent of the poverty line in both Athens and Meigs Counties. While many pantries are open just a few days a week, Cooper is there Monday through Thursday. “We’ve served 203 families with food, of that, 68 had never been here before,” Cooper said. In 2009, the pantry served 109 families. “I never thought we’d break the 200 mark, but we did last month,” Cooper added. The pantry’s food is partly sourced through local food drives hosted by area organizations or businesses, like Firestone on East State Street. For the past 11 years, the Firestone has offered a discount on tires if customers bring in canned goods. In previous years, the campaign brought in about 3,000 cans, said Greg Myers, the store manager. This year, he’s only collected about 400. Business overall is down, too, he said. “I just think it’s due to the talk of the fiscal cliff,” Myers said. “People are worried and stocking up their own food and supplies. It’s just the economy. That’s the only thing I can figure. We’re doing what we can.” Some donations to the Salvation Army are monetary. Those monies are used to purchase food from the Southeastern Ohio Food Bank or from area stores. The food bank offers the biggest bang for the buck, though, Cooper said. She can get some things for free. Other times, she pays as little as 19 cents a pound. But even the food bank has taken a hit. The Southeastern Ohio Food Bank is one of 12 in the state. The bank provides food to pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, churches and other nonprofits in Athens, Gallia, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Vinton and Washington Counties. The bank has had it rough this year for a number of reasons, Galway explained. The weather wreaked havoc on the farming community, first with an early spring, then a cold snap followed by drought. Fresh produce was more expensive and harder to come by. That meant less available to the food bank. The economy overall has also had an impact.
“I think this region is a little bit behind other parts of the state,” Galway said. “We see recovery elsewhere, but we’re still lagging. We have the poorest region in state of Ohio anyway, so we have less resources, less corporate partners to partner with. Just the overall economy has affected donations as a whole.” Over the years, donations to food banks from individuals and businesses have dropped. This is partly the reason why banks nationwide are shifting their business models, Galway said. Although she maintains healthy relationships with places like Kroger and Walmart, she sources most of her food through the government and through a network of other food banks. It’s for the best, Galway explained. Just as The Salvation Army gets a better deal by buying directly from the bank, so too does the food bank by buying directly from its network. “For every dollar we get we can put three meals on a table,” Galway said. Although, she was quick to add she would never turn down a donation, whatever form it takes. The same goes for the Athens Food Pantry, an all-volunteer organization that provides food boxes twice weekly through Athens County Job and Family Services on a first-come first-served basis. “Monetary donations gives us more flexibility, but we’ll never turn down a donation,” said Karin Bright, who handles communications for the pantry. “Hopefully, we’ll get this massive infusion of donations, but it’s not likely. Things are more expensive for everybody. I don’t think it’s a lack of caring.” The pantry has also seen a drop in resources but an increase in need, although, official numbers for 2012 haven’t been compiled yet. “If you’re hungry, you can’t do anything else,” Galway said. “People tend to think about giving this time of year, but unfortunately, hunger doesn’t have a season. We need support all year round.” ***
Athens Middle School’s school-based science fair prepares students for districts In the Media Room of Athens Middle School, seventh- and eighth-grader students stood patiently beside their tri-fold cardboard science fair
presentations, waiting for their judging time. Some chatted with their neighbors as they waited, others nervously rehearsed to themselves. The school-based science fair held Tuesday is in its second year after being resurrected by science teachers Mary Ann Hopple and Stephanie List. It’s designed to give those students new to the science fair experience an opportunity to work on a project and present it in a familiar setting. They try to make it a less stressful experience compared to the real deal, said List. For students who already have intentions of taking their projects to the district fair in March, they’re given the chance to get feedback from an expert. “They’ve put so much work into their projects that we really want them to take that work and go as far as they can with it,” List said. Derek Demel, an eighth-grade student, has become the school’s poster child. Last year, he received a rating of Excellent (the school rates projects either Superior or Excellent). He also was given feedback from his judges. “He made all the changes and went on to be one of the top winners at district and state,” List said. “I think that’s a wonderful example. He went on to have a successful experience because he was able to have time with the feedback and make those changes.” For his project this year, Demel built his very own windbelt generator, a contraption that produces electricity. “Instead of rotary-base methods, like in wind turbines, this captures electricity with the oscillation of a belt,” Demel explained. His first model generated 0.1 volts of electricity. After making alterations, the second model produced 0.2. “It may not seem like much at first, but it’s only the beginning step,” Demel added. “This is important because it’s efficient and cheap. These wind belts cost about $10 to make.” He plans to continue improving on his work and take the project to the district fair. The same goes for seventh-grader Sery Gunawardena. Her project is a continuation of last year’s work. She wanted to compare the EPA fuel economy estimates with real-world driving. She hypothesized the estimates
were wrong. What she found is that they’re mostly right for high-mileage vehicles. “For hybrids, it’s harder for the EPA to gauge because it’s newer technology,” Gunawardena said. Both Gunawardena and Demel received Superior ratings at the school fair. “I’m always impressed with the ability of the students at this level to carry out the research that they do for their projects,” said Ken Walsh, a professor of civil engineering at Ohio University who served as one of the judges. The students benefit from getting feedback from a professor’s or a graduate student’s years of experience, but Walsh said it’s a learning experience for him, too. “I had never heard of the windbelt generator,” he said. Many of the students are required to do a project for their science class, but 46 students this year volunteered to make it a fair project. Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch, director of the Southeastern District Science and Engineering Fair at Ohio University, helps coordinate the middle school fair by bringing in judges from Ohio University, all of whom volunteer their time. She encourages students to get involved in their local fairs. Many of them have a really good time, she said. Not to mention the other benefits. “There’s a potential they can get college scholarships in high school, and it’s a good way to learn how to manage projects and your time,” GierlowskiKordesch said. “And they develop critical thinking. What we need more than anything in the classroom is critical thinking. They need to be independent thinkers to be good citizens.”