During the last 18 months, The Nightcaps, a vocal-centric rock, pop, blues, and jazz group in Champaign-Urbana, has come a long way.

Continuing through their long C-U music careers, Dody Cosmedy, Joni Dreyer, and Michele Osterbur-Smith were asked to perform with a dozen other C-U female vocalists at the Champaign City Center in early 2018.

“We had a great time and those of us who didn’t know each other quickly became great friends,” Cosmedy said.

What happened on stage with the focus of female vocalists struck a chord with Cosmedy, Dreyer and Osterbur-Smith. They got together later that year, in the evening over drinks, to talk about the possibility of squeezing one more band into their lives.

The Nightcaps were formed that evening.

The women have not given up their other roles in the C-U Music scene. Cosmedy continues to work with No Secret and Deyer is still with Groove Avenue.

Osterbur-Smith, who sang with local country music legend Marvin Lee and had a career singing commercial jingles, brought along Matt Stewart, who Cosmedy describes as “the area’s best guitarist.”

“He has a long history in CU, most notably as lead guitarist with Starcastle, who had some commercial success back in the 70’s and 80’s,” Cosmedy said.

It didn’t take long for The Nightcaps to start rehearsing.

“We did our first gig at Huber’s in Champaign in late April, and have been gigging steadily ever since,” Cosmedy said.

Dave Garcia has joined the band on percussion and Brad Hendricks plays harmonica on several numbers.

“We play as often as possible, strictly out of love for the music and the fun of playing for people who enjoy listening,” Cosmedy said. “We each bring unique musical styles to the group, allowing us to perform covers of rock, pop, blues, and jazz.”

In the same way they started, The Nightcaps are still working to bring attention to and support causes that affect everyone.

The group will spend three hours, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in St. Joseph on Saturday, Oct. 26 as they help to raise money for the Murelle Plotner Scholarship fund during “A Haunted Halloween.”

The post The Nightcaps to perform at A Haunted Halloween first appeared on SJO Daily.

The St. Joseph Parent Teacher Club is excited to host their second annual Trunk or Treat event at St. Joseph Middle School on October 25 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

“Everyone is welcome,” PTC Chair Jen Wagner said.

The Trunk or Treat event is one the PTC thought about hosting for a few years. When they put something together in 2017, the response was overwhelming.

“We thought if we were to hold on through the school we could encompass 835 students, plus their families and friends from out of town,” Wagner said. “We wanted to include everyone.”

Without having a way to gauge how many families would come out that first year, Wagner said the 30 cars that were lined up in the parking lot ran out of candy pretty quickly. To combat that, the PTC asked students in kindergarten through eighth grade to donate candy this year.

“A class from each grade level that collected the most candy was rewarded with a donut breakfast,” Wagner reported.

The St. Joseph Middle School student council members will be on hand during the event deliver candy to cars that are short on candy.

The student council will also judge the event’s costume and trunk contest.

Wagner said this event is just another way the PTC bridges the gap between the needs of students, parents, teacher, school and community.

Throughout the year, the PTC uses the funds they raise to fulfill teacher’s needs in the classroom.

Kindergarten teachers recently requested funds for their annual restaurant unit. Students learn how to run a restaurant before they go into the back kitchen at a local establishment to get a behind-the-scenes look and eat lunch.

The elementary school will also study nocturnal animals during the week of Halloween. The PTC helps to supply owl pellets for dissection for the students. The PTC also filled a need for scholastic bowl t-shirts and buzzers last year.

“It just depends on what the teacher’s needs are,” Wagner said. “That’s where our money goes.”

The Trunk or Treat event is just the first community-wide event the PTC will host in 2018. The group plans to host a movie night in December, a spring carnival and Panther Day to celebrate the end of the school year.

By the response the Trunk or Treat event saw last year, Wagner believes the group has filled a need in the community.

“I think everyone likes. It’s sort of a one-stop shop. Parents can walk with their kids and go around and visit other families at the same time.

“It should be a fun safe event and we hope to have a good response from the community again,” she said.

The post St. Joseph PTC to host Trunk or Treat first appeared on SJO Daily.