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Fire band is playing on

By Kathy Sciacca

Staff Writer

WEST NEWBURY -- The old hand tub Gardner 4 may be retired, but the band that honors it is still playing strong.

West Newbury's Veteran's Fire Association band gets together once a week to keep up its toe tapping and patriotic music.

"We still drag it out for occasional parades," said Dave Beckwith, of the old hand tub. He has been a member of the band since the early `90s.

The band keeps up a vigorous practice and performance schedule to keep in top playing form. Under the direction of Karen Franson Mundo, musical director for Salisbury Public Schools, the band has gradually changed from primarily a marching band to a concert band.

The band has great pride in its hometown of West Newbury and opens and closes the summer concert season there. The summer concert season started on June 5 and it will end on Aug. 28 at the town's bandstand.

"We do that as a gift to the town," said Beckwith.

The concert program includes a roster of patriotic favorites like `You're a Grand Old Flag' and `God Bless America' to fun tunes like the polka lead by Jacob Peavey, age 7. "His mom Kathy Peavey is a flute player," said Beckwith. Jacob's grandfather, Brian, is a sometimes sax player in the band and is also a retired firefighter. The Peaveys live in Merrimac.

According to a history of the band on the band on its Website, the band was reformed in 1989 after years of being disbanded to participate in the 100th anniversary of the New England States Veteran Fireman's Association.

The instruments include all wind instruments, glockenspiel, string bass. There is a tuba, trumpets and trombones.

"I got involved in 1992 when Butch Stewart asked me. I had to learn to play all over again," said Beckwith. He joined the band with his son, who has since married and moved away.

While not everyone in the band is linked to firefighting, several members are.

The band also makes regular appearance in two Santa parades - Ipswich and Merrimac.

"Those parades are tough on the wind instruments because of the cold," said Beckwith.

The old hand tub Gardner 4 gets pulled along behind the band by a truck.

To learn more about the band, visit there Website at: vfaband.org. On the Website is a complete concert and rehearsal schedule.

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