Clown Band concert still on for tonight

LUDINGTON — The annual Scottville Clown Band scholarship awards concert, sponsored by the Ludington Area Jaycees, is still scheduled for 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Waterfront Park pavilion, though rain is forecasted. This year the Scottville Clown Band has awarded over $5,000 in scholarships for kids to go to music-related educational programs. The majority of the recipients of the Raymond Schulte Memorial Scholarship will be attending Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in northern Muskegon County.

The scholarship fund is named in honor of Ray Schulte, who re-formed the clown band in 1947 after the group had been in hiatus during the World War II years. Prior to that, Scottville had always had some sort of musical group of merchants who dressed up in various costumes. That tradition began in 1903.

“One of Ray Schulte’s wishes was that the legacy of music continue in this community,” said Jim Lindenau, president of the Clown Band. “It’s always a point of pride among our members to award these scholarships in hopes that we are investing in a gift that will last a lifetime.”

Tonight’s concert is also when the Jaycees will be formally announcing this year’s grand marshal of the July 4 Freedom Festival Parade. This year, the Jaycees are honoring Michigan State Police Trooper Paul Butterfield, who was murdered in northern Mason County last fall.