The Oct. 25 Saucon Valley School Board meeting was brief but well-attended, as the music department took center stage as the subject of perhaps the evening’s two most impactful pieces of business.

With the marching band’s tentative Spring 2023 trip to Disney World on the evening’s agenda, students both current and former were on hand to lend their support for resuming the annual tradition.

Saucon Valley HS junior Amanda Dettmar first lobbied the board, noting the degree of independence students are afforded during their stay. 2022 graduate Evan Hawke followed, referring to his trip with the band in 2019 (the last before the COVID-19 pandemic) and the lasting, positive impact he said it had on his overall experience.

The trip’s costs will be fully covered by student fundraising, with nothing required of the district’s coffers other than the daily salary of the substitute teachers temporarily replacing the ones who travel with the students. After some brief discussion, the motion was approved.

The other significant - and eventually, emotional - topic was that of a donation of a 24-foot trailer to the music department from David Heintzelman. (Heintzelman was not acting in an official capacity, as the trailer was a personal belonging of his and unrelated to his duties as Mayor of Hellertown.)

Heinzelman was on hand to present the donation, which he dedicated to Lori Marshall, a former president of the Saucon Valley Music Connection booster club, who passed away in 2019. During his brief presentation, Heintzelman asked for a round of applause for the entire Marshall family, who “worked so hard” for the booster group, he said.

Also in attendance was Marshall’s husband Bill, who said because he was initially broadly informed of a “memorial” to his late wife that would be taking place, he prepared words in tribute to both her and a few former music department colleagues.

In his short but touching speech, Marshall spoke of his role as “roadie” during Lori’s tenure, and named Kevin O’Connell, Gary Hillegass and his wife as among those he dedicated memorable annual PowerPoint tribute presentations in past years.

Ultimately – referring to the song he said he originally dedicated to his late wife’s role as outgoing SVMC chief, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” – Marshall expressed his appreciation that her contributions remain remembered by the community.