Drumstick Dash is a popular Thanksgiving morning run in Roanoke. For the last several years I’ve signed up to offer some music on the course. Each year I try to use my Fender bass amp with a portable power supply, playing backing tracks off of my phone, with varying degrees of success.

This year they had me set up at the Big Lick brewery. I borrowed a traffic cone to serve as a trombone stand when I wasn’t playing.

Will Divers our tuba player was also playing at another location on the course.

We start playing pretty early, maybe 8:30 am, and it’s still cold – definitely in the 40s. The sun comes up to warm things quickly, but this isn’t ideal trombone playing weather.

Last year I was joined by musical faculty from Roanoke College and Virginia Tech, and we played trios. This year a trumpet player who was I think from the Baltimore Symphony (?) came by and heard me hacking through some Queen tunes. He was going to join me, but I didn’t really have anything “joinable”.

Every year I see certain friends from around town who are actually running or walking or pushing a baby carriage. It’s a great cause to help the homeless in Roanoke, and this year there are as many homeless here as ever. It’s a great thing to do on a great day for a great cause. If you haven’t been a part of it, put it on your calendar for next year. It just takes a couple hours of your morning, and helps you feel great the rest of the day.