By Dixon Bledsoe
Brent Satern knows how special the bond is between fathers and daughters. He and his wife Kelly have daughter Avery, nearly 3, as well as 8-month-old Jack.
Satern, who owns Satern Insurance and Financial Services and is a Silverton Rotary member, had the idea to have the Silverton Rotary Club host the area’s first “Daddy-Daughter Dance.” The goal is to strengthen the father-daughter relationship for the dads and daughters. Newberg Rotary held its first event and it was so popular that a second was scheduled to handle the overflow.
The Silverton event is May 7 and proceeds go to Rotary scholarships for high school students. The Interact Club, a Silverton High group associated with Rotary, will help with the event planning. More details will be on social media and Our Town at a later date.
Satern expects about 300 dads and 325 daughters (little ones to eighth-graders) to attend. In future years, the age cap may be extended or removed. Satern said sponsorships are going well with the Premier, Gold and Silver spots already reserved. Several Bronze sponsors ($250) are being sought. Sponsorships are tax deductible with checks payable to Silverton Rotary. Questions? Call Satern at 503-874-8434. Put on your dancing shoes, bring that darling daughter, Dad, and cement the bond with life-long memories.
I was getting a haircut (actually I got them all cut) a few weeks ago and Johnny the Barber (he probably prefers using his last name, Moye) said I should write about Frank Petrik, the music teacher and “Leader of the Band” at Silverton High School for nearly three years.
A few months ago, the Silverton Marching Band took the field at the final football game, dressed to the nines in stunning uniforms. Frank made that happen, with the backing of a generous community. The band sounded wonderful. Frank took some great kids with music skills to another level. They received an invitation to the Starlight Parade at the world-famous Portland Rose Parade. Frank’s handiwork because the band now has show-stopping uniforms. The kids got there on merit. The band just qualified for state. Frank again. The pilot with a crew who would follow him anywhere.
Let’s be Frank. Really. He is a consummate family man. Married to Mandy and father to Cece and Charlie, they host exchange students, run marathons, teach their kids strong values, and adore Silverton’s wonderful and children. They love this community. He loves music and has been teaching band for 18 years. With the help of Bob Knodel, there is a drum line. They are very good. I saw pride on the faces of the students in their new uniforms. They stepped on the field and got to feel the joy that athletes get to feel every week. That sense of pride started with great leadership. That’s where Frank comes in.
He is, quite frankly, a winner. The band played at the Oregon Music Educators Association conference and a high school administrator found it “moving.” Petrik was just inducted into the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters Fraternity that recognizes outstanding band directors internationally, and was put on the staff for the Oregon Ambassadors of Music, which takes outstanding high school musicians on European concert tours. He is a former chair of the Oregon music advocacy group for the Oregon Music Educators Association. And he is ours. Lucky kids. Lucky us.
