18th Annual Penofin - Children's Jazz Festival
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Imagine a warm sunny day in May, an acre of grass studded with colorful lawn umbrellas in front of a graceful historical Victorian home. You hear the crunch of gravel in the driveway and turn to see a big yellow school bus. The doors open and young smiling faces begin popping through them dressed in brightly colored tie dye T-shirts.
This was the opening scene at the 18th Annual Penofin Children's Jazz Festival hosted Friday May 13th at the Skip and Barbara Newell residence in Potter Valley. 75 second grade students from Frank Zeek School were treated to a day of learning, cleverly disguised as music, food and fun. The children were taken on a tour of the grounds where they met the Newells' newest additions to their Arabian Horse Ranch; 3 beautiful foals. They toured the chicken and duck yard and the organic gardens before they found their places on the lawn to enjoy a concert of Jazz courtesy of The Rich Halley Quartet.
After a lunch of hot dogs, lasagna, pasta salad and lots and lots of Lemonade, the children reconvened and spent the rest of the afternoon learning about the musicians' instruments and dancing to a jazzy salsa beat!
"It's the wide eyes, the laughter and enthusiasm that these children bring with them that makes this fun.", said Barbara Newell about the yearly event. "There is certain fascination that music holds and if you can light just one spark of interest it makes it all worth while."
According to Kristin Bogner who has helped to organize the event for many years, "Many local children have enjoyed this event over the last 18 years, with more schools participating. In today's world with educational budgets and funding being cut left and right, it is a wonderful and noble thing that the Newells' provide this every year at no cost to the schools or their parents." As long as there are children in the community to attend, the Newells' say they will continue to afford them the opportunity to come learn and play.
Click here to download the press release.
Click on the photos below for a larger image.
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For more information contact Toni Adams.
E-mail: pres@penofin.com.
