SHAMOKIN, Pa. — Kevin and Sharon Styer are not only husband and wife, but they are also the marching band director and assistant marching band director at Shamokin Area High School.
Next Thursday, the two will march together in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
"That's going to be cool. I get to play a lot while he's directing, but we never get to march together, so it's kind of really a neat thing," Sharon Styer said.
The two were among those chosen out of thousands of band directors from all over the country to participate in the Band Directors Marching Band, made up of marching band directors from all 50 states and Mexico.
"This is a great honor. Like I said, only 400 of us have been chosen for this honor, and it's our service through music. We teach music, we teach life is our theme, and that's what we do in the band world," Kevin Styer said.
Five marching band directors will participate from northeastern and central Pennsylvania, including Dan Schwanger, the marching band director at Lewisburg Area High School.
"To see all the balloons and to be around all of the other things that happen at the Macy's parade, to see it up close and personal, and to be part of it is just like a once-in-a-lifetime thing," Dan Schwanger said.
The band directors will be playing instruments at the parade.
"I'm a little nervous, but I'm excited to play with the other directors and just see the expressions on the people's faces as we're going down the street," Sharon said.
"Seeing the audience, getting the thrill of being, as our band director is saying, we're acting like kids again," Kevin said.
In addition to performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the marching band will perform during a ceremony at New York City's 9/11 memorial.