Patriot Brass Ensemble to play to Rutland veterans

Long-time Killington skier gives back to community

Friday, Aug. 15 — RUTLAND — Lifelong Killington skier Steven Behnke will be bringing his nationally recognized non-profit, the Patriot Brass Ensemble to Rutland, Friday, Aug. 15. This free concert will be held Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Rutland Free Library.

The Rutland concert is a special stop on their national tour and the only concert being organized and promoted by the Patriot Brass Ensemble.

“This is the least I can do to give back to a city that has been my second home. I believe as skiers we have an obligation to give back to the community around us that has treated us so well,” said Patriot Brass Executive Director Steven Behnke. Adding “I have been skiing my whole life at Killington and my family has had a condo in Mendon, Vt., for over 30 years.”

Out of concern for the well-being of  veterans, the Patriot Brass Ensemble aims to do their part to create a better quality of life for veterans in long-term care. The ensemble is on a national tour dedicated to performing for veterans. Patriot Bass is the only unit of its kind in the United States, and the non-profit provides its concerts for free of charge to veterans in long-term care.

The organization is proud to partner with local VA and state homes for veterans. “We have seen how music has an amazing ability to transport our veterans in long term care to a better mental state. Even if only temporarily, it helps give them a better outlook” said Behnke.

The Patriot Brass Ensemble will perform over 24 free public concerts for veterans, along with some public concerts on their first annual national #BrassMusic4Vets tour. The tour is set to stop at state and VA homes for veterans in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The last six performances of the tour will be recorded to create a DVD that will be distributed for free to every state and VA homes for veterans in the country. For more info. visit www.patriotbrass.org.