Tony Frochio of Connoquenessing has a little more expertise than many who join the drum circle at the Wellness Works counseling center, 349 N. McKean St.

But the longtime professional drummer isn't teaching technique, he's seeking peace.

“I do it for therapy myself. I'm a cancer survivor. I've been coming here for about a year,” said Frochio, who goes by “Washboard Tony” in his area appearances.

Here in the carpeted basement of the Wellness Works building where between 15 to 20 people gather to tap on drums, chant and do moving exercises the first Friday of every month.

“I started this about a year and a half ago,” said Susan Drolet, the owner of the counseling center.

“It reduces anxiety, it's a positive form of coping and it's just fun,” Drolet said.

“We meet for about an hour, and we're drumming and we're doing stress reduction and we're chanting,” said Drolet, who said she studied under Rusted Root drummer Jim Donovan who wrote a book, “Drum Circle Leadership,” and regularly offers trainings to organizations that teach people how to facilitate creative group music-making as a way to enhance wellness.

“It lasts just about an hour. Sometimes it goes long when we get into the mode when we're having a really good time,” said Frochio.

“Anyone can just show up,” said Drolet, saying the circle and its djembe drums are open to anyone who wants to stop by. “Anybody can do it. Tony is a regular. He makes it a little more exciting.”

That might be because he's been playing drums since graduating from Lincoln High School in Elwood City. He said he's been across the country and back playing with rock and blues bands.

However, starting in 2005 a bout of stage 4 colon cancer ended Frochio's days on the road and kept him the area to be close to his doctors and treatments at Benbrook Medical Center.

He said he has been in remission for four years but his treatments and surgeries have left him with health issues.

Frochio said the drum circle had just begun when “people said you need to come down here and check this out.”

He said he sees his drum circle attendance as “therapy more or less.”

“People when they start, they feel so silly banging on a drum,” he said. “But I see the faces when we play. They feel uplifted.”

“It gets your heart beating. It makes you feel good. Music can be that powerful, ” he said.

“I used to be in it for the girls and good times,” he conceded. “But now I will be doing this until I get arthritis.”

Frochio said, “People come down here, they're not drummers, but when you get 20 people playing at one time it sounds like an orchestra on drums.”

The uninitiated will get a chance to try their own hand at drumming, when Frochio will move the drum circle to the courtyard of the Butler Public Library, a few blocks from the counseling center at 218 N. McKean St. at 6 p.m. Friday.

“Tony has played here before with other groups,” said Lori Hinderliter, the library's executive director.

“He's providing the drums and we're providing the space. This is going to be interesting,” she said.

WHAT: Drum circle demonstration, hand drums and chairs provided. Refreshments to followWHEN: 6 p.m. FridayWHERE: Courtyard of the Butler Public Library, 218 N. McKean St.INFORMATION: Call the library at 724-287-1715