Mending Marchers: 330 Sets of Hands Relying On Each Other

Every year, as a member of the Marching Virginians, the marching band at Virginia Tech, I come to campus earlier than most students to participate in band tryouts, drill downs, and the usual hard work requisite of a marching band member before the all-important football season. This year was a little different because of the tragedy of April 16, when a former undergrad killed thirty-two Virginia Tech students before taking his own life.

During practice one day at the beginning of the football season in August, a family walked over to watch the band play. I didn’t think anything of it because people come to watch us all the time. But our band director, Dave McKee, stopped rehearsal to personally welcome this family