"Stars, Stripes and Sousa" concert is Saturday

PORT CLINTON — Port Clinton High School band members will perform in the school's annual "Stars, Stripes and Sousa" concert at 7 p.m. Saturday in the high school's performing arts center. The performance is free and open to the public, but a free will donation will be taken at the end of the concert. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and seating is on a first come, first-served basis.As with past Sousa concerts, the band will honor all current and past members of the military with a special medley of Armed Forces songs. Guest soloists include Felita LaRock, who is retired from the United States Air Force. Rodney Miller, Port Clinton High School's band director, will portray John Philip Sousa and is in his twelfth year as director of bands for Port Clinton Schools. This is the 30th year that Miller has presented the concert.Two special guests this year include astronauts Don Thomas and Guy Bluford to celebrate NASA's 60th anniversary. Both men have eight space shuttle missions between them. Thomas is a native of Cleveland and has flown the space shuttle on four different occasions, including on the Discovery and Columbia missions and logged nearly 1,000 hours in space. Bluford, a Philadelphia native who resides in Cleveland, was a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War and was the first African American in space. He also has four space shuttle missions aboard Challenger and Discovery.Before the concert, a barbecue chicken dinner will occur Port Clinton High School's cafeteria from 3-6 p.m. Dinners are $9 each and are pre-sale only. For chicken dinner tickets, contact any high school band member or call Port Clinton High School band director Rod Miller at 419-734-2147, ext. 4019.During an emotional tribute, conductor Rodney Miller says a few words of appreciation to the first responders to the September 11th attacks in New York during Port Clinton Band's concert "Stars, Stripes, and Sousa" on Saturday evening at Port Clinton High School.An American flag is dropped down during the last song at the "Stars, Stripes, and Sousa" concert put on by the Port Clinton Band at Port Clinton High School on Saturday evening. The concert was the 10th annual tribute to John Philip Sousa, a famous patriotic conductor at the turn of the 20th century.