The Waynesburg University Lamplighters Touring Choir has reached 65 years of musical service to the community. The group was originally founded in 1961 by the late James “Fuzzy” Randolph, the choir’s first director. 

According to the official obituary on Dignity Memorial, Randolph was heavily involved with Waynesburg University’s campus as a professor of music and curator of the Paul R. Stewart Museum. 

“The Lamplighters Touring Choir is unique because our mission is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ through choral music and worship music,” Melanie Catana, assistant professor of vocal music and director of the Lamplighters, said. 

According to Catana, she has been the director of the Lamplighters touring choir for 17 years. Each year, she loves seeing students come to choir practice to destress and unwind from classes. 

“Having music in your life and having singing and playing an instrument, it really does take care of your soul in a way that, you know, other things don’t,” Catana said.

The Lamplighters Choir is also a great place to connect.

“It’s meant to be a safe space. It’s meant to be the distraction from the rest of the commitments on campus,” senior forensic investigation major and president of the Lamplighters, Sierra Rotz said.

According to Rotz, she has been a member of the touring choir for three years, two of which she has held the role of president. She said one of the main responsibilities of the president is to work alongside Catana and the other officers to ensure the choir stays on track with their focus on ministry and community.

Junior human services major and vice president of the Lamplighters O’ria Beech explained that her role in the touring choir involves being a “spiritual mentor” for her fellow students. She said that during the weekly practices, she guides group prayer time as well as a short devotional about a verse of the day. 

“I think that music has always been a big part of my life, and I just really am fascinated with the unique language that God gave us through music and how we can use that to worship him,” Beech said.  

Catana said that throughout the year, the touring choir typically sings in chapel, churches, nursing homes and schools in the area. She emphasized that the students look forward to ministering to the local community, and they enjoy engaging with people. 

Beech shared that multiple members of the Lamplighters are not from the Waynesburg area, which makes visiting the local schools and nursing homes extra special. 

“It’s just really neat to get connected with the Waynesburg folk around here,” Beech said. 

In addition to local destinations, the Lamplighters Choir takes an annual spring service trip with the entire group. In an email, Catana wrote that the last 10 years of domestic service trips have included locations such as New York City, N.Y.; Hershey, Pa.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Chicago, Ill. 

The 2026 tour location has yet to be determined, Rotz said. The trip will consist of 11 people in total, including Catana and their pianist, Dr. Sora Lee, a part-time music instructor at Waynesburg University. Such a small touring group has never occurred in past years, Catana said. 

As with most student-centered organizations, communication and connection are vital. “It’s a very great community, and our touring choir specifically is very faith-based. So, it’s been a great place to combine that passion for music and combine that passion for God,” Beech said. 

Rotz said that on the tour, the choir typically rents a house together where they cook meals for each other and have opportunities to connect. Their bonds grow through group activities as they often work with non-profits or organizations with kids, including youth groups, where they can have individual devotionals.

Beech expressed how sharing God’s love and worshipping Him through music connects the group in a unique way.  “I think it’s naturally unifying to walk forward with someone with a common goal,” Beech said. “It helps us bond with each other when we have the same values and desires.”

The Lamplighters Touring Choir meets twice weekly, every Tuesday and Thursday, at 3 p.m. in the Benedum Fine Arts Center. Interested students are invited to contact Catana at mcatana@waynesburg.edu for more information.