Bruce Westerman

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Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8121, which would officially name a historic bandstand located within the Christiansted National Historic Site on the Island of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands as the Peter G. Thurland, Sr., Bandstand. For generations, the Christiansted bandstand has served as a gathering place for music and community in the heart of St. Croix. H.R. 8121 honors a man whose life and legacy are closely tied to that history. Peter Gregory Thurland, Sr., was born in Christiansted in 1892. While serving in the United States Navy, Mr. Thurland helped design and construct the Christiansted Bandstand and performed there as a member of the Christiansted Naval Band until his honorable discharge in 1921. His service to his community did not end there. Mr. Thurland founded the St. Croix Community Band and spent decades training generations of young musicians and bringing music to the community through free monthly concerts. A master craftsman, talented musician, and dedicated mentor, Mr. Thurland made a lasting contribution to the cultural and civic life of St. Croix. It is particularly fitting that the bandstand he helped build, which became a center of community life in St. Croix, bears his name. Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 8121, and I reserve the balance of my time.