The Steve Kropp Band rocked the Culpeper Middle School Forum Friday evening from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. with a brief intermission during the evening. People from the community came to hear the band and honor Shelby Greene, a rising fifth grader who was planning to attend Yowell Elementary this fall. Friday’s concert was a benefit for the Special Games, held every spring, with the proceeds going towards the event.
Greene was a student enrolled in the special education program through the Culpeper County Public School system and would have been a participant in the Special Games this spring. Kropp, an Adapted Physical Education Specialist, started the Special Games in 2006 and Greene participated every year. Greene would have participated again in the spring; however, sadly she passed away in her sleep this summer.
Before the concert began, Kropp busily moved around the forum making sure things were as planned. Popping out into the lobby just before taking the stage, Kropp looked relaxed and ready to go, saying he wasn’t nervous and admitting that he always goes 100 m.p.h.
As people paid their admission and got their hand stamped, they perused the baked goods, made by many of the teachers of CMS, at the opposite end of the table along with sodas donated by Wal-Mart. Also on the table were promotional items of the band including t-shirts, CDs and stickers. Lingering in the lobby was not popular as most people moved right into the forum to find seats before the music started.
At the beginning of the concert Kropp shared a bit about the Special Games, highlighting the logo illuminated on the screen behind him. He pointed out Shelby Greene’s family, seated off to the side in the front, and reminded everyone that they were there to honor her.
During intermission Cenie Greer, Greene’s Grandmother, stayed in her seat reflecting on the life of her Granddaughter. She tearfully shared how she had not met Kropp before the concert and how grateful she is for everything he has done to honor Greene. She wears Greene’s thumbprint on a silver chain around her neck, made by Clore English Funeral Home, engraved on the back with Greene’s initials and the years of her life. “I miss her every day,” chokes Greer, “she touched so many people, more than I ever knew.”
At one point during the concert, Kropp addressed the crowd saying, “I hope you came here to sing tonight,” to which he received a loud, “no!” from a gentleman in attendance. The crowd whooped and hollered and Kropp, laughing, invited everyone to join in singing the echo parts of My Redeemer.
Page Hayes, music teacher at Farmington Elementary, joined the band for a couple songs, playing the keyboard. Other band members included Henry Barker on the saxophone, tambourine and synthesizer; Sue Cosgrove on the flute and vocals; Mike Barker on the drums; John Holden on lead guitar; and Zach Delcoco on bass. Jimmy Mills, a member at Kropp’s church, provided audiovisual for the concert.
The special games are scheduled for May 2009. Opening Ceremonies will begin at 9 a.m. and include the National Anthem. Events start at 10 a.m. and an hour for lunch is included. The older children participate in field events throughout the morning while the younger children compete in running events, then after lunch they switch.
All the participants compete against each other. Grades K – 12 are represented.
Several Special Game participants attended the concert; Khadijah Slaughter was one of them. She sat with her family in the back of the Forum and they expressed how excited she was to be there. Slaughter’s mother, Tracy, joined the band onstage, during the concert, to sing the second and third verse of Amazing Grace as well as parts of the chorus, while the band and those in attendance sang the rest of the song.
Heidi Mertzeis, third year special education teacher at Culpeper Middle School, says Erick Martinez, a student in the special education program and Special Game participant, had been brimming with enthusiasm all day repeatedly saying, “concert, concert…,” in anticipation of the event. Kropp was flabbergasted at the end of the concert when the majority of those in attendance stood giving the band an encore, hollering, “one more song!” Kropp and his band played one final song, a new song from his recently recorded but not yet released CD, but not before acknowledging having just received their first, ever encore.
Several band members jammed on stage, following the concert, while Kropp visited with some Special Game participants and fans.
