Over the past decade, Trissell has memorialized her late son Anthony by organizing the annual SummerFest, which includes weekly music events in Vandalia.
Each Wednesday during the summer, from 5 to 8 p.m., residents are invited to Seger Park, located at the corner of South Perry Street and South Tionda Drive, to gather with community and view performances by local musicians.
Food trucks and local vendors are also invited to set up shop each week.
These events focus on addressing mental health issues and encouraging children to explore fine arts.
“It all started on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016, with the death of my 16-year-old, Anthony,” Trissell said. “He loved music, he loved marching band, and when he died, I was a mess ... This is a way to keep his memory alive.”
Anthony, who was due to graduate from Vandalia-Butler High School in 2018, played snare drum for the marching band.
He was a sophomore when he died by suicide, Trissell shared.
“He was very bright, wonderful, and funny,” she said.
Soon after his death, Anthony’s classmates started a GoFundMe to help with funeral and other expenses. This eventually lead to the creation of the Anthony Trissell Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a goal to encourage young members and directors of the Butler High School marching band, color guard, and kickline, and to de-stigmatize mental health issues.
Details about SummerFest and the nonprofit can be found at www.summerfestonline.com.
Trissell was nominated as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem award by Carol Parete for her selfless work to create a community of care in Vandalia and beyond.
“The moment I met her, I was impressed,” Parete said. “Then, I started learning about all she does, and how little recognition she gets, and I thought she deserved to be recognized for it.”
Along with the SummerFest events at Seger Park, Trissell provides homemade meals to the Vandalia-Butler marching band ahead of each home game.
These events, she insists, are only possible with help from others.
“It’s a community effort, and so many volunteer their time to help,” Trissell said, highlighting what she described as invaluable support from the United Methodist Church in Vandalia, the Vandalia-Butler Foundation, the Vandalia-Butler Optimist Club, the Vandalia-Butler Chamber of Commerce, and the Vandalia Lions Club.
“This really means a lot to me, keeping Anthony’s memory alive, and watching out for the kids by making sure they eat right and that they know there’s always someone to talk to when they get down,” Trissell said.
“One of Anthony’s bandmates wrote a poem in his honor, called ”March On,“ and it serves as the theme behind all of this,” Trissell continued.
That poem reads as follows:
When life brings dark times,
I WILL march on!
When I doubt myself,
I WILL march on!
When others seem to doubt me,
I WILL march on!
When my friends are too busy to listen,
I WILL march on!
Because I deserve good times.
There WILL be good times…
and I WILL be successful!
I WILL always MARCH ON!
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