Help us to help others!

It seems everyone wants to hear the Ohio State University Marching Band at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center!  This is one of those times we wish we had 2,000 seats.  We have been sold out of tickets for this concert for nearly two months.  The best way to have gotten tickets for this was during the Select Series release time, because many people included this concert as one of their three (or more) selections.  By the time we released the single tickets on August 7, few remained.

I mention this to say that if there is anyone reading this article or anyone hears about the situation and has tickets they may not be using for whatever reason, please try and seek out someone who may wish to buy them from you.  Just as tickets for this Saturday’s game with Wisconsin are difficult to come by, so are our November 7 tickets.  We have had so many requests at the box office that we cannot broker for anyone, but please talk it up.  It would be a shame to have any empty seats when so many want to experience this concert.  Let’s hope the Buckeyes come into Van Wert on November 7 still undefeated!

Time for a little brag time from yours truly.  Did you notice the OSU Marching Band this past Saturday doing Script Ohio (thank you, Big 10 Network, for showing the band, rather than reiterating what we just saw in the first half)?  The band did Script Ohio along with band members from a school for the blind.  What an experience that must have been as these kids heard 100,000 plus people cheering their efforts!  Now back to my bragging.  My son, Tim, was marching X1 — that’s the lead band position right behind the drum major.  I’m glad they spelled O-H-I-O correctly; especially this time!

Our first official event of the Niswonger season occurs this Friday, September 27, with guest speaker/presenter Ceci Wiselogel.  She returns this time with a program called “Let Freedom Ring!”  Anyone who has attended her past presentations on “The Legends of Christmas” and “Remembering Rockwell” knows how very interesting they are.

This program will reveal and inform listeners about interesting tidbits we either have never heard of or maybe have forgotten about many of our national treasures such as: the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, Uncle Sam (where did he get that name?), the Declaration of Independence, the American bald eagle and so much more.

I am happy to say that nearly 500 Van Wert Middle School students will be attending, as well as 250 Parkway students.  I think it is so important for us to keep the heritage of our country alive.  We can only do that through informing and educating our youth.  I’m not sure how much of this they are getting in school any more.  We at the Niswonger are trying to do our part to keep the American heritage and respect for our beloved country alive.

You can join these students for a mere $5 admission fee and discover facts you have either forgotten or in some instances, never knew!  Every time I listen to Ceci Wiselogel presentations, I find myself saying, “Boy! I forgot all about that!”  If you are looking for an informative and entertaining hour this Friday beginning at 1 p.m., I invite you to come to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center and enjoy learning or recalling information about these important American symbols.

FINÉ.