The Austintown Fitch High School concert choir members were joined by alumni members and past directors at a 50th reunion concert Sunday at the school auditorium. Choir director Bill Klein leads the choir in a song that honors veterans and military personnel. ...Staff photo / Bob Coupland

AUSTINTOWN — Fitch High School choir director Bill Klein was joined by three former directors on Sunday for the 50th reunion concert, with the directors taking turns leading the group, which included current sophomore to senior choir members and alumni members.

More than 80 alumni — including one from Texas — performed with the 50 current members of the choir ensemble to celebrate the 50th annual reunion of the Austintown Fitch High School concert choir, which entertains hundreds of veterans locally and statewide each year.

Rosemarie Kascher, who was the founder of the choir and was a choir teacher for 17 years starting in 1964, said retired Navy Capt. Milton Kochert came to her in 1972 after visiting veterans in military hospitals and told her something needed to be done for the veterans.

Kascher said what started soon after that was students spending their spring breaks singing at military hospitals and bases.

“We started that and we would get our military assignments and stay on the bases and also stop at the veterans hospitals in the area. Over the years, other choir conductors have continued this in the same spirit,” she said.

Kochert would contact military bases to make arrangements for the choir to visit. Kascher said choir members staying on military bases is no longer permitted.

Veterans were among those in the audience watching on Sunday.

Kay Williams, who was choir director from 1985 to 2012, said “You can’t put into words what it is like to travel to the military hospitals to perform for the veterans. It is so nice to see that tradition has continued with every director since.”

Craig Carson, who directed the choir from 2012 to 2015 at the high school and 25 years at the middle school, said it was nice to see the former directors and his former students again.

“It is great that the veterans are being honored here. It is a great tradition of this choir to honor veterans,” Carson said.

Klein said the reunion concert had to be canceled twice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am excited that we finally get to do this with over 100 singers,” he said, noting the current choir has about 50 students in grades 10 to 12, with 80 alumni who graduated between 1964 and 2022 joining them.

There were more than nine works performed, with Klein, Carson, Kascher and former director Kay Williams taking turns with the baton. Former director James Antell could not attend.

Lauren Sherwood, 17, a senior choir member, said she likes that the reunion concert has become a tradition and how the choir visits veterans and sings for them.

“It is a great opportunity to get to work with people who went to the same school as we did and were part of the choir. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be with them and follow in their footsteps and to have all the former directors back. I am glad we can perform and share this with the community and the veterans,” Sherwood said.

Merrill Voytko, 18, a senior choir member, said it is great to see what the former choir members have to offer and see what has changed over the years.

“It is fun to get to bond with former concert choir members. This is a great idea to bring different choir generations together, and doing this for veterans makes it even better,” he said.

Tony Crespo, commander of the American Legion Post 301, which took part in the posting of the colors for the performance, said the young people who are part of the choir always perform a wonderful program for the public.

“There is one song, ‘God Bless the USA,’ where they sing and then walk out into the audience and shake hands with the veterans. These young people make the veterans feel very special to have their hands shaked and to be thanked for their service,” Crespo said.

Crespo said the American Legion donated $1,000 to the choir.

Also at the event, High School Principal Tim Kelty was presented with a plaque recognizing his service as an Army veteran.