By Bailey Cichon

Reporter

MARSHFIELD — Silence was broken in the Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library on Dec. 15 when the Marshfield High School jazz band dropped by for the first stop on its annual Christmas tour.

Freshman alto saxophonist Eben Lonsdale said, “We went to the library, the mall, the middle school, and the Bethel Center, which is an assisted living center, and we played Christmas jazz music.”

The group is made up of 30 students and meets on Tuesdays and Fridays before school to practice. During the tour, the band performed medleys of popular Christmas songs as well as classics such as “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and “Angels We Have Heard On High.”

“It is important to share our music with (the) community to spread the holiday spirit and show the importance of music in our schools. Not everyone knows what the students in their community are capable of, and the jazz band tour is one way to share our talents,” said Katie Gauerke, a junior.

“I like seeing all of the people who come out and watch and get really into it,” said junior trumpeter Elizabeth Lecker.

Assisted living facilities such as the Bethel Center benefit immensely from visits from student groups and community organizations. The holiday season can be a difficult time for residents who do not receive regular visits from family or friends. This leads to residents feeling isolated from the community and sometimes even forgotten.

“We try and make their Christmas enjoyable, and we do whatever we can to make them happy during the season,” said Lucy Pilsner, activities coordinator at the Bethel Center. “They just loved (the jazz band. There was) toe tapping and smiles on their faces. (The residents) were just beaming.”

“They sang along with some of the songs. They were definitely our most enthusiastic audience of the day,” added Gauerke.