Variety show on Saturday to benefit Lehighton band hall

A night of music is planned for Saturday night at the Lehighton Boys and Girls Band Hall, as volunteers try to raise funds for recent work done at the facility.

The “Leap Year Variety Show” featuring songs and merriment from the 1940s and 50s is scheduled for 7-9 p.m. with $10 tickets available at the door.

“We’ve been putting in handicap accessible bathrooms over the past several years, and this event was organized to help cover some of that bill,” said Manny DaCosta, a volunteer at the hall.

Individuals from the local area have signed up to donate their talents for the show. DaCosta said the lineup includes Henry Long, the Coal Cracker Chorus, Jonathan Schweitzer, Martha Moyer, Randy Perry and more.

“They’re all volunteering their time,” DaCosta said. “The band hall has been in business for over 100 years and a lot of people have come together to keep it going. This is another one of those nights where a lot of people have donated their time for the betterment of the hall.”

The boys and girls band program provides low cost music education to the area residents. Its reach extends well beyond Lehighton.

“Just last night, we had someone from Northampton come with his two children,” DaCosta said on Thursday. “We have a woman who is 55 years old taking piano lessons. It’s such a benefit and we’re very fortunate for the support over the years.”

Volunteers, however, have been the driving force behind the band hall long before this weekend. DaCosta estimates a savings of around $50,000 in the last five years through volunteer efforts.

“We do the work ourselves whenever we can,” he said. “A few years ago, an Eagle scout, Brian Bauer, raised money at the Redneck Festival and did a lot of painting for us. Redline Floor Covering donated a lot of materials for our bathroom as did Allen Young. The whole community works together to make it a better place.”