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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Riverside music programs awarded

Billie Martin

Riverside School District music programs fared well in recent state and regional competitions.

Riverside Middle School jazz band, under direction of Dan Carlson, took third place, and Riverside High School jazz band, under the direction of Brian Comstock, took first place in the Jazz Northwest state competition at Mead High School on March 20.

At the Eastern Washington Music Educators Association competition held at Ferris High School, Riverside Middle School concert band received two superior ratings. Riverside High School concert band received a superior rating and Alana Mathisen won the divisional solo competition for French horn. Alana will compete at state in Ellensburg on April 24.

Last weekend, another state competition was held at Columbia Basin Community College. Riverside High School took home the trophy for the best overall band program in its division. The Riverside High jazz band also received a superior rating. Caleb Brown received first place for best alto sax soloist, and James Hendrix Ward received first place for best tenor sax soloist.

At the end of April, Riverside High will travel to San Francisco to compete at a national music event, the Heritage Music Festival.

At the Choir Festival, Riverside Middle School, under direction of Karen Baldwin, received one superior and one superior plus gold award. The Riverside School District select choir, under direction of Jessie Whitrock, received one superior plus gold award.

•The Fertile Valley Fire Station 71 will hold a Bingo Night on May 1 at 7 p.m. at the station, 11 Jermain Road off Fertile Valley Road. Cards will be $1 each per game with cash prizes, and the proceeds will benefit the Camden Fire Station No. 11 construction project. Refreshments will be sold, and those proceeds will benefit the Fertile Valley station.

You are invited to come have a good time and help support your community. For questions or information, call Walt Johnston at (509) 496-3995.

•Camden Grange will host its seventh annual Auction and Pancake Feed on April 17 at the Grange on Camden Road just north of downtown Elk. Proceeds from the pancake breakfast (8 to 10 a.m.) will be donated to the Camden Fire Station Support Fund. The auction profits would support the Camden Grange maintenance and insurance expenses. Reusable items (no clothes) can be dropped off on Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Larger items will be accepted on consignment. There are Flea Market spaces available for plants, crafts, etc. For information, call (509) 292-2492.

•The Elk Community Park Association and the Elk Music Association would like to thank all who came out to the Elk VFW Post last Saturday to enjoy or compete in the fifth annual Red Neck Olympics. It was a fun day with fierce competition and great food at the taco bar. The associations would like to thank the VFW for hosting the event, the Elk Sentinel for sponsoring and April at Trophies Unlimited for donating the trophies.

Reach Billie Martin by e-mail at elkites@peoplepc.com