Strongsville Community Band To Play Ukrainian National Anthem

STRONGSVILLE, OH — This Sunday's Strongsville Community Band performance will start with two patriotic songs: the Ukrainian National Anthem and the Star Spangled Banner.

Band Director Ken Mehalko obtained the arrangement for the Ukrainian anthem from the U.S. Marine Band after seeing news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last week.

"I was upset. We started to wonder what we could do to show our support for Ukraine," Mehalko told Patch. "We contacted local churches and they put us in contact with a local woman who is going to sing the Ukrainian National Anthem for us."

The band is scheduled to perform at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Strongsville Middle School, 13200 Pearl Road. Attendance is free. There will also be blue and yellow ribbons distributed to both band members and spectators.

The Strongsville Community Band has been a presence in the community for nearly three decades. The band has approximately 60 members and plays concerts throughout the summer and winter.

Following the performance of the two national anthems, the Community Band will play a variety of selections, including arrangements from Beethoven to Michael Buble.

"It's a very diverse musical program," Mehalko said.

Gov. Mike DeWine this week barred any state agency from contracting with Russia for goods and services and ordered the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to divest of all Russian assets in its investment portfolio.

State Rep. Tom Patton, a Republican from Strongsville, joined two of his Republican colleagues in sponsoring a resolution lambasting Russia for its attack of a sovereign neighbor. The Buckeye State is home to approximately 42,000 people of Ukrainian descent.