Pool Hall Has a Double-Good Night

IRONWOOD, MI - by Keri Singleton - Sunday, December 6, 2009 - Saturday night at the Knight Club Pool Hall, downtown Ironwood, turned out to be pretty special. Not only did many people turn out to support a worthwhile cause, raising money, through team pool tournaments, for Ironwood High School’s Clarinet Choir’s annual trip to Chicago, some of the players were deaf. This made for a lot of action at the pool hall, not only by the normal, expected action that pool playing entails, but also the action of people communicating by sign language, some while playing pool. It seems, by coincidence, that a dormant group of deaf players and their family members resurrected their monthly group the night of a fundraiser, which added an extremely pleasant dimension to the evening.

Brittany Pertile, a senior in Ironwood’s Clarinet Choir, knew her school could not contribute to the group’s annual trip to Chicago, so instead of accepting the lack of funds, she had an idea. Brittany’s idea seemed possible to the choir’s director, Mr. Steven Boyd, so a fundraiser was born. See, Brittany is employed at The Knight Club Pool Hall, and her managers facilitated and supported the event, which turned into a wonderful evening of pool, communication; by word and sign language, good food, and camaraderie you just don’t see every day.

Due to limited budgeting, funds for the trip have to be acquired for the trip by the students themselves, without help from the school. Mr. Boyd, Ironwood’s Clarinet Choir Director, was on hand to offer his support for the event. He said they will be performing at Northern Illinois University, at the National Clarinet Convention. The students will be performing alone, as well as with a massed choir with college students and professionals. They will also receive lessons from clarinet professors, and attend Master Classes.

Brittany told me that she will be performing with the base clarinet, doing a solo with a regular flute, as well as a glass flute solo. Ironwood is the only high school group invited to this esteemed event.

The statistics I received demonstrated how much work has to be done to fund this trip, and the students involved work hard all year to raise money. Mr. Boyd told me that in addition to the Clarinet Convention activities at Northern Illinois University, he would take the students to see a Broadway or Medieval Show. The trip also includes dining out and visiting malls, then returning home. Price estimates for the trip include a Charter bus rental for four days, costing approximately just under $3000.00, the cost of four nights in a hotel for all the students, costing between $600.00 and $700.00 a night, the cost of the conference-$600.00, plus the price of food. Mr. Boyd expressed his passion for helping students from this area get the opportunity to experience other cultures, see other things, eat other food, and basically gain experiences of other locales, in order to have something to compare things to. He is obviously dedicated to helping kids improve their lives through education, as well as experiences they can always draw on.

The students who participated, showing their support, as well as all the other participants, deaf and hearing alike, showed exactly what is RIGHT with Ironwood. There was no cursing, negativity, or fighting; no smoking, drinking, or any other deviant behavior. People; young and old, hearing and deaf, all together for noble causes. Some to help raise money so a group of deserving clarinet players can gain valuable experience, guided by an obviously dedicated and involved teacher, and some together for fellowship, people who “speak” the same language. The point is, everybody came together, playing pool, conversing, verbally and with sign language, and money was made for a wonderful cause. Mr. Boyd’s vision is for these kids to raise enough money so they have minimal personal contributions to come up with. Last year’s efforts were so successful, he said, that the students only had to contribute $15.00 each. This year; however, it will be harder without the school’s contribution. The trip is scheduled for January 21st-January 25th. The students will be working hard to reach funding goals until then.

Many thanks to Brittany, Mr. Boyd, The Knight Club Pool Hall, and all the workers, and especially all the people who were there, supporting, in one way or another, all that is right here in Ironwood.

Top finishers in the tournament were: (1) Robert Maher & Alan Traczyk; (2) Mat Ratkowski & Mckenzie Ratkowski; (3) Brian Johnson & Chad Soltis and (4) Matt Leasure & Rodney Heins.

Deaf Club Members attending the first meeting included: Matt & Stacy Leasure & children; Bob and Carol Mehling and grandchildren; Rodney Heins; Inez Sisko; Bob Fowler; and Mary Breedlove. The group plans on meeting on the first Saturday of each month, with the next meeting scheduled for Saturday, January 2, 2010, at 6:00 PM. The official meeting place for the club is the Knight Club Pool Hall.

The Knight Club is operated by Dave Duggan and managed by Steve Frank.