By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

The back lawn of Woodlawn United Methodist Church was turned into a tropic beach barbeque as the Dover High School Steel Drum Band performed at the church’s barbeque event Saturday evening.

Performing an array of Calypso as well as a few familiar songs arranged for steel instruments, The Dover Steel Drum Band left the audience giving the students a standing ovation.

“I liked the Dover Steel Drums, they were really interesting, I’m going to have to get one of their CD’s, and definitely check them out on Youtube.” Troy Morritz said.

While playing in many parts of Ohio as well as nationally this was the first time the Dover band had played in Bucyrus.

Dover High School music teacher Joan Wenzel who started the Steel Drum Band in Dover in 1992 got her start on steel drums while attending college.

“I was a student at the University of Akron, and I was fortunate to be a member of the founding group there, which we were fortunate because we were only the second university steel band in the country,” Wenzel said.

“I actually was in eighth grade when I joined because my brother was in it as a senior, and I had to go to practice with him every day. Mrs. Wenzel took me in and said she didn’t want me to sit in the hall anymore and wanted me to join the steel band,” Maggie Bennekamper said.

The Dover Steel Drum Band covered John Lennon’s “Imagine,” as well as “Amazing Grace,” before closing with “So Ca Pressure.”

“We like to play a few songs that people wouldn’t expect. We perform a few classic rock songs “Dy’er Maker” by Led Zeppelin, and “Americash Express” by Crosby Stills and Nash.” Tony Yosick said.

The barbeque was a success as meals, as well as ice cream for the event sold out by the time Bucyrus group United in Harmony took the stage at 7:30 p.m.

“I expected there to be 700 people at the event, but people started showing up at 3:30 p.m., and all of the chairs filled up. We had over 700, closer to 800 people attend,” barbeque organizer Bill Denton said.

Proceeds for the barbeque went towards the Alpha 12 Step Recovery program.

Judge Sean Leuthhold spoke to the audience after the Dover Steel Drum Band finished playing. During his speech Leuthold admitted being wrong about the Alpha 12 Step Program.

“”When I first met with John and Maggie Maddox, I expected it to fold in six months; I didn’t expect the time and dedication that they would put into the program, and down the road we started to see success,” Leuthold said.