Warriors Rock returning to Monongahela Saturday
The performance honors veterans through music and videos.
The Monongahela Aquatorium will echo with music, memories, and gratitude this Saturday evening as the nationally touring Warriors Rock concert returns for its fourth year to the Mon Valley.
The event, led by Gary Racan and the Studio E Band, blends live music with powerful video tributes to local veterans and first responders. Between high-energy performances, the audience will see stories created from in-depth interviews with honorees — this year featuring six Mon Valley veterans and one first responder.
Warriors Rock is presented by the Greensburg-based organization founded by Gary and Kim Racan, and the show features more than a dozen musicians — saxophones, violins, and more — bringing a mix of rock, pop, and patriotic favorites.
Retired U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Dave Papak of Carroll Township, who organizes the Mon Valley stop, says the night is as moving as it is entertaining.
“At the end of the show, we ask all the veterans to come down near the stage, we give them a flag, and the band closes with ‘God Bless the USA,’” Papak said. “There’s not a dry eye in the place.”
Papak says the Mon Valley has embraced the event as a summer tradition.
“It’s one of those things people look forward to every year,” he said. “Young and old come together for a great night — and to remember why our veterans matter.”
This year’s show will start earlier than before, with music kicking off at 7:30 p.m. and wrapping up around 9:30. Papak said the shift is meant to make the event more accessible for older attendees who prefer an earlier evening. But the night won’t end there — the band has agreed to play an extra hour afterward for those who want to stay and dance under the stars.
New this year, the City of Monongahela has installed sturdy railings along the lower section of the Aquatorium, making it easier and safer for older guests, veterans, and those with mobility challenges to enjoy the show. Papak said the upgrades will make a noticeable difference.
“We’ve got the new banisters down there, so people won’t have to venture too far or worry about steep steps,” Papak said. “It’s a small change, but for some of our guests, it’s the thing that lets them be part of the night.”
The concert’s return is fueled by an outpouring of community support.
Papak said 54 different donors contributed this year — from a few dollars to several thousand — ensuring production costs were fully covered well before showtime.
Local businesses have stepped up alongside individual residents.
“We’ve been talking about this all summer, and we reached our goal,” Papak said. “Everything above that — ticket sales, beverage sales — all goes back to the veterans council. That’s the kind of grassroots generosity that makes this event possible.”
Once production costs are covered, all proceeds go to the Mon Valley Veterans Council, which decides how to use the funds.
“Each year, we’ve given a substantial check back to the veterans council, and they decide the use of it,” Papak said. “Last year they supported the Charleroi parade and bought an air conditioner for the Black Diamond VFW.”
Papak hopes the event will keep growing and believes its storytelling is vital.
“In 10 years, I’d love to have 100 stories told of veterans and first responders,” Papak said. “Generations of young people still don’t know why we have the military. This is a grassroots way to connect a community, and it’s powerful.”
This year’s honorees include Dr. Leonard Zadecky, a U.S. Army doctor who served in Vietnam; Dr. Bobbi Cumpston of Eighty Four, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran; Leonard Cole, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War; Sammy Vasquez, an Army veteran from Monessen who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and now lives in Colorado; Tony Acamondo, a U.S. Army veteran; and Bill Fawcett, a World War II Army veteran who was present when the flag was raised at Iwo Jima. The concert will also recognize Aaron Benney, a firefighter, as this year’s first responder honoree.
