The charitable organization “Drew’s Gift of Music” has been instrumental in providing band students throughout Indiana with the equipment and opportunities they need to pursue their musical passions.
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There’s an ambitious student musician who’s waiting to give that unused instrument of yours a new home.
Drew’s Gift of Music and Fiddlersguide has been instrumental in providing band students throughout Indiana with the equipment they need to pursue their musical passions. Continue reading
An inspirational Knox student who impacted the lives of countless people before his sudden passing in October of 2011 continues to make a major impact posthumously.
Community members have the chance to collectively commemorate Drew Shearin and contribute to the cause created in his honor this Saturday at the 7th annual “Drew’s Gift of Music” event.
The charitable organization “Drew’s Gift” has been instrumental in providing band students throughout Indiana with the equipment they need to pursue their musical passions. Continue reading
Giving students the chance to play a musical instrument is the goal of a fundraiser taking place this weekend in Knox. Drew’s Gift of Music will host its sixth annual event this Saturday afternoon at 4:00 at the Knox VFW.
Each year since his untimely passing family and friends gather at the Washington Township Fire Department to celebrate the life and accomplishments of a remarkably gifted individual, Drew Shearin. Saturday August 2, is the annual Drew’s Gift of Music and Stuff.
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“We’re having our motorcycle ride again this year plus a truck ride,” said Johnson. “A hog roast is planned, live music, plus live and silent auctions. Anyone interested in coming can show up at 4 p.m. with the auction time to start at 5 p.m.”
Drew Shearin was a popular music student at Knox Community High School when he was killed in a single vehicle accident east of Knox on State Road 8 in October 2011 at the age of 17.
An Oregon-Davis High School graduate who is widely known for her musical talent is hospitalized in Fort Wayne following a single-vehicle crash last night in Miami County. Lorrin Awald, 20, is in critical condition at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne after the truck she was driving reportedly hit a patch of black ice on State Road 16 near Denver and rolled over. The crash occurred about 10 minutes after 10 last night, according to the Indiana State Police. Three other passengers were taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth. There’s no word on their conditions. Awald is a 2011 graduate of Oregon-Davis High School. She wrote a song in memory of her cousin, Knox High School drum major Drew Shearin, who was killed in a single-vehicle accident in October of 2011 east of Knox on State Road 8 when his car struck a telephone pole.
A Plymouth woman whose son was killed in a car accident last year has found a way to cope with her loss while helping others to get through one of the hardest things a parent can go through: the loss of a child. Deb Johnson’s son, 17-year-old Drew Shearin, was killed while driving home from work last year. No drugs or alcohol were involved, and his mother said he may have swerved to avoid an animal.
Our partners at WNDU featured Johnson in their report, “Coping With The Loss,” featured below.
The past two weeks have been full of activities for Knox High School’s Students Against Destructive Decisions Program Director Carrie Stone. Last week was dedicated to the nationwide “Rock the Belt” campaign for raising seat belt awareness, and this week is the annual “Red Ribbon Week” to raise awareness on drug and alcohol abuse in high schools.
The main point that Stone brought forth about Red Ribbon Week was that teenagers are really ignorant to the fact that their brain is not yet fully developed. Therefore, they aren’t necessarily aware that they do not have the brain capacity to handle alcohol consumption. Red Ribbon Week is designed to bring that point to the attention of high school students. There will be a rock concert on Wednesday at the middle school for the students there and high school SADD members.
A fundraiser to help a fund that puts musical instruments in the hands of future musicians will be held Saturday, August 4. The fund is “Drew’s Gift”, which was set up by the late Drew Shearin’s family. His mother, Deb Johnson, talks about what we can expect during Saturday’s event.
“It is at the Washington Township Fire Department and doors will open at 2 p.m.,” said Johnson. “We’re having a hog roast, live music, a live auction, a motorcycle ride and a truck ride. You can go on the website drewshearinmusic.com and all of the information is there.”
Drew Shearin’s legacy has lived on through his loved ones and his music during these past few months. The Knox High School student died in a car accident in Starke County in October.
The Silver Creek High School Band Booster program in Sellersburg, Indiana is hosting a benefit concert for the Drew Shearin Memorial Scholarship fund. Coordinator, Hannah Gibson, said the fundraiser includes performances by students participating in the Indiana State School Music Association Solo and Ensemble event.
The music of a Knox High School student who was killed in an auto accident last Fall will be featured at the Indiana Music Educators Association annual Professional Development Conference in Fort Wayne this afternoon.
Drew Shearin, one of the Drum Majors for the Knox High School band, will be recognized for the second time by the IMEA. Last year, he was recognized for his instrumental composition called “Uncertainty” which was performed by the Lafayette Jefferson High School Orchestra. Today, he will be recognized as the winner in the Choral Division for a work entitled “The Sweetest Air is Most Often the Thickest”. His composition will be performed by the Butler University Chorale.
We’re down to the final three top 10 stories of 2011.
One of the top stories of the year involved State Representative Nancy Dembowski, who with 43 Democrat legislators, fled to Illinois to avoid voting on anticipated right to work legislation. After staying out for weeks, the legislators finally returned to the cheers of union workers and jeers from their Republican colleagues. The issue is coming back to the legislators in the 2012 General Assembly. The Republican majority party imposed fines on those who left.
The Knox High School Drama Department is putting on another play: The Clumsy Custard Horror Show. With a lot of audience participation, the production is described as your typical fairy tale kingdom with a princess in need of a husband, an evil villain who desires her, and a hero who, of course, saves the day.
On the first Sunday following the death of a popular student a week ago, the clergy of the community used the occasion to pray for and ask comfort for the family and friends. By the outpouring of sorrow all last week, the student body of Knox High School and the community at large showed what an impact Drew Shearin had on all who knew him.
Before hundreds of those in his services Friday night, his youth pastor, Rev. Rick Martin, put it best in his closing prayer.
The heart of the community has been torn asunder following the tragic loss of a Knox High School student. Andrew “Drew” Shearin was a 17-year-old junior whose life touched an unbelievable number of hearts before he was prematurely torn away from his family and friends, spurring an unbelievable amount of sorrow in the community.
“Drew was an extremely popular and engaging student and will be greatly missed by his peers, our staff, and the Knox community,” said Knox High School Principal Elizabeth Ratliff. “We also offer our heartfelt sympathies to the family for their loss.”
The Knox community continues to mourn the loss of Knox High School Junior, Drew Shearin. Drew died in a car accident on State Road 8 east of Knox late Monday night.
Drew was a Drum Major for the Knox Redskin Brigade, who is set to take the field Saturday for the ISSMA Regional Marching Band competition to compete for a chance for the State title in Indianapolis on October 29th. Director Craige Phipps says that the band will march in Chesterton this Saturday.
