It was a team effort by several to build a new grill to honor Red Ervin. The grill was used on Friday, August 28 at the 36th annual Music Boosters Barbecue. Pictured are (l-r) Rod Drummer, Mary Jo Cherveny, Mike Carnahan, Dylan Martens, Colton Stochl, Larry Mann, Drew Dostal, Mark Wesely, Brandon Miller, Jeff Niedermann and Garrett Princehouse. News Herald Photo/Allison Graham

For the past 35 years the South Tama Music Department has hosted an annual barbecue on the first home game of every football season.

It’s a great time to gather, share a meal, and hear a preview of what the marching band will be performing for the season before heading across the parking lot to the big game.

This year, the 36th Annual Music Booster Barbecue was no different except for one major thing. Someone was missing in the action of the day. The man behind the delicious meat grilled up each year, Richard “Red” Ervin passed away on Thursday, April 9, 2015 in his home surrounded by family.

Red really had the kids at heart and played a key roll in the event for 30 plus years. Throughout the years he left a definite impression on STC high school band director Mike Carnahan.

“I used to always enjoy sitting with him and visiting and listening to the stories he would tell,” said Carnahan, “Every once in awhile I would run and get him a Pepsi, but he never really wanted any recognition.”

Red had a reputation around this area of being skilled behind a grill but was never conceited about it. He simply knew he had a talent at producing a good product.

“He would always tell me ‘you put on the posters that Red Ervin is grilling, they’ll come”, said Carnahan.

It may have been serendipitous in a way that when Red passed away it was discovered that his grill, which he donated to the school years earlier, would need to be replaced.

The Music Boosters came up with a plan that would provide a new grill that worked well and also honored Red. Those plans changed however after Carnahan discovered another group within in the school were looking to honor Red. Carnahan happened to stumble across the welding class who were also working on building a grill. From that point Carnahan and shop teacher Jeff Niedermann joined efforts to build the grill.

The large metal grill was worked on in the welding class throughout the last year. STC students that worked on the project included Drew Dostal, Jaret Probasco, Dylan Martens, Colton Stochl, Brandon Miller, and Garrett Princehouse along with STC alumni Kyle Llewellyn and Charles Kaufmann.

This years grillers included Rod Drummer, Mark Wesely, Larry Mann and Mary Jo Cherveny. Larry Mann also contributed to the making of the grill as he made some fine tune adjustments and applied a lustrous coat of red paint that was provided by the Music Boosters.