In honor of Memorial Day and the brave Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, Drew Podnar, a bugler from Taps for Veterans and Bugles Across America, will sound Taps. Please join us for this Taps Across America event as we honor our American heroes on Monday, May 29th at 3:00 pm, Ticketing Level, near the Piano. At the sounding of Taps, all hats should be removed. Current and former US military personnel should render a hand salute. Civilians should place their right hand over their heart.

Drew Podnar, from Robinson Township, Pennsylvania has been playing trumpet for 52 years. He studied music education and speech communication at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and he is a retired music educator having taught in the Northgate and Montour School Districts. Mr. Podnar is active as a trumpet play as a member of the Monaca Cornet Band and The Swingin' Beaver Bopcats Big Band. He is also music director for the Ohio Valley Community Band. Mr. Podnar was also a paramedic for over twenty years having worked and volunteered in several Western Pennsylvania ambulance services.

Being the son, nephew, uncle, and father of U.S. military veterans, he felt the need to give back so he decided to provide the service of sounding Taps to honor veterans and active duty military personnel. Podnar is a member of Bugles Across America and Taps for Veterans, two organizations founded by veterans to provide live bugling for the sounding of Taps. Without live buglers, our veterans receiving military honors at the time of their death will have Taps played by an mp3 player inserted into a fake bugle or sometimes even on a cassette tape or CD player. Having a live bugler is much more meaningful for the family and allows our military heroes to be honored with dignity. Podnar has sounded Taps numerous times over the years in funeral homes, churches, and cemeteries in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. In 2021, he had the honor to sound Taps at the Soldiers' National Monument in Gettysburg National Cemetery.
Families and friends wishing to have a live bugler for their loved ones can request one through the Bugles Across America and Taps for Veterans websites or they can contact Drew Podnar directly through Facebook at The Pittsburgh Bugler.