

Story and photos by Lori Knight
The Mountlake Terrace High School Music Boosters club raised the bar Saturday night when members honored military veterans, in the Mountlake Terrace High School HUB. Featuring both Jazz I and II bands, the music reflected the era of the Big Swing dance, capturing both the mood and sentiment for the evening. The HUB was decorated in vintage posters from the era, and included patriotic table decor, incredible desserts and a silent auction fundraiser for all the bands. In addition, the Music Boosters highlighted veterans’ contributions through a slide show of family members who have served.
In the audience Saturday night were Bud Croft, World War II veteran and Pearl Harbor survivor, and Vietnam veteran Arthur Myers and his wife Linda, Brier residents who have written a book “Return to Viet Nam: One Man’s Journey of Healing.” (You can read our earlier story on the Myers’ book here.
While the men were from different wars, each spoke poignantly about their passions. Myers talked briefly about his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder after Vietnam and reminded everyone that Nov. 10 was the birth date of the Marine Corps in 1775. And with the anniversary of Pearl Harbor just around the corner, it isn’t every day that you get to be in the presence of someone with the experience of Croft, who survived one of the most pivotal days in WWII.
The evening opened with the entertainment of magician Cary Durgin, who really did have a few new tricks up his sleeve! Then adult and student members of the audience were invited to learn Big Swing dance moves with instructors Ben White of eastsidestomp.com and Jenna Applegarth of applelindy.com (see video below). After 20 minutes of instruction, members of the audience were ready to dance to the stylings of Jazz I as they opened up the evening for dance.
The Mountlake Terrace Music Boosters will host a breakfast with Santa from 8 a.m. to noon Dec. 8 at the high school. You can enjoy a pancake breakfast for $7 (students/seniors are $5 and children under age 3 are free), listen to holiday music performed by all music groups from MTHS as well as other Edmonds School District schools, and have your picture taken with Santa for $7 or $10, depending on photo size. For more information, contact MTSHMusicBoosters@gmail.com.
This week, the high school drama department will present “A Piece of My Heart” by Shirley Lauro. (More information on our earlier story here.) Performances are at 7 p.m. Nov. 15-17 at the Mountlake Terrace High School Theater. Tickets are $5; veterans and active military are free. Bring a donation of non-perishable food and help support the Mountlake Terrace Food Bank.
Arts Around Terrace columnist Lori Knight co-owns — with her husband Eric — the Knight Visions Studio Gallery.A Brier resident, Knight has been selling, promoting, marketing and framing art for 25 years. She opened her studio at 19533 Filbert Dr., in nearby Bothell. in 1987. Both of her children — Briana and Chris — are Mountlake Terrace High School graduates. (Photo by Patty Linna)
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