Chuck Cooper Trio at DWG 07-30-06

Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain in Delaware Water Gap, PA held their weekly Gazebo Concert featuring The Chuck Cooper Trio. It was a great musical experience filled with relaxing sounds to a cool summer evening. Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz, John Weiss, Mike Wetmore of SYLP-H (Support Your Local Poet-Hooray), Gary Lambert, Marie Steeger, and Leigh Ann Stratakos of The 3 Moons Yoga Studio and Gallery were among the many who enjoyed the day. You’ll find numerous photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Music JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. Their next concert will feature The Water Gap Brass on Sunday August 6th at 6pm. Please contact Our Good Friends at 570-476-0345 for more information.

Stroud Township Gazebo Country 07-30-06

Our Good Friends at Stroud Township presented their monthly gazebo concert featuring a country music by Our Good Friends The McWilliams Brothers Band at The Jay Albertson Park in Stroudsburg, PA. Our Good Friend Arline M. Smeltz were among the many who enjoyed the warm afternoon of toe tapping music. You’ll find numerous photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Music JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. The next concert will be on Sunday August 27th at 3pm featuring Kate and Richie Roche.

Pocono Commuter Picnic 07-29-06

Our Good Friends at The Pocono Commuter in Pocono Summit, PA held their 3rd Annual Picnic at The Mountain View Park in Tannersville, PA. Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz, Chad Pensiero of The Pocono Herald aka The Pocono Classifieds, and Wayne Meyers of The Pocono Commuter along with Our New Friends Jose Cruz and Dr. Marie A Mastria were among the many who attended the wonderful event. Please contact Our Good Friends at editor@poconocommuter.com for more information. You’ll find numerous photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Friendship Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

The Dutot Group Show 07-28-06

Our Good Friends at The Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery in Delaware Water Gap, PA held an Opening Reception for Our Good Friend Sally Millspaugh and her friends. Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz, Will Daskal, Linda Wagner (one of the exhibitors), and Susan Wilson of the Dutot were among the many who admired the wonderful work. The exhibition continues until August 13th. Please contact Our Good Friends at 570-476-4240 for more information. You’ll find numerous photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Visual Arts JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

COTA Meeting 07-25-06

Our Good Friends at The Celebration of the Arts (COTA) held a meeting at Our Good Friends at The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA to plan for the Jazz Celebration occurring September 8th, 9th, and 10th. Our Good Friends Rev. Karen Nickels of The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain, Richard Chamberlain, Lauren Chamberlain-Mussner, Frank Disalvo, Cyndie Dutkiewicz, Bob and Jamie Garner, Jill Goodwin, Gerry Gaughan, Tim Helman, Cheryl A. Read, Phil Woods, Jim Wyckoff, Marie Steeger, Cheryl Joubert, and Steve Krawitz were among those present during the evening. An award was also given to Our New Friend Tim Snow for his volunteer work for COTA. They are presently seeking volunteers to participate in this year’s festival. Their next meeting will be Tuesday August 8th at 7:30pm. Please contact them at 570-424-3210 for more information. You’ll find more photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society COTA Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

Jazz Organ at The Gazebo 07-23-06

Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain in Delaware Water Gap, PA held their weekly Gazebo Concert featuring Mark Hamza and the Great Swamp Blues Band. It was a great musical experience with the wild playing of organ music which enchanted everyone who heard it. Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz, John Weiss, Mike Wetmore of SYLP-H (Support Your Local Poet-Hooray) and Rev. Karen Nickels of The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain were among the many who enjoyed the day. You’ll find more photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Music JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. Their next concert will feature The Chuck Cooper Trio on Sunday July 30th. Please contact Our Good Friends at 570-476-0345 for more information.

3 Moon Anniversary 07-16-06

Our Good Friends at The 3 Moons Studio and Gallery in Delaware Water Gap, PA celebrated their 4th Anniversary with an open house featuring a full day of activities designed to nurture and stimulate the mind, body, and spirit. Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz and Anita Bondi along with Leigh Ann Stratakos of The 3 Moons were among the many who enjoyed the day. You’ll find more photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Visual Arts JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. The 4th Anniversary Celebration continues until July 22nd. Please contact Our Good Friends at 570-420-2839 for more information.

Do Wop Sherman 07-15-06

Our Good Friends at The Sherman Theatre and Performing Arts Center in Stroudsburg, PA hosted a fantastic show featuring music from The Drifters, Platters, and Coasters. The entire theatre was full with people dancing and singing along with those great songs from the 1950s and early 60s. Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz, Roslyn Ross-Hoffman along with Richard Berkowitz and Cheryl Yost of the Sherman were among the many who enjoyed the show. You’ll find more photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Music JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. The Sherman’s next presentation will be the Pocono Lively Arts production of “A Chorus Line” on July 21st and 22nd. Please contact Our Good Friends at 570-420-2808 for more information.

Art in Milford, PA 07-14-06

Our Good Friends at The Pike County Arts and Crafts, Inc. (PCAC) in Milford, PA held an Opening Reception for their 56th Annual Exhibition. The evening was dedicated to the late Arthur B. Siegel who contributed a great deal through his passion for the arts to the Pike County creative community. In keeping to his memory, the event was filled with wonderful art, music, and conversation.

The evening also included presentations of The 11th Annual Georgiana P. Kiger “Excellence in Art” Scholarships to Schuyler Grant of Lake Wallenpaupack High School and Kimberly L. Stromberg of Delaware Valley High School. There was also the presentation of The 2006 Pike County Arts and Crafts “Achievement in Art” Scholarship to Denise Nikodem of Lake Wallenpaupack High School. I encourage you to join me in congratulating these talented young people and in wishing them well as they continue to go forward toward their dreams.

Many of Our Good Friends were present this evening. They included Arline M. Smeltz, Joan Polishook, Roslyn Ross-Hoffman, John Longendorfer of The Golden Fish Gallery, Elizabeth Murphy (Executive Director of PCAC), Vitoria Mayer-Connelly (Executive Director Emeritus of PCAC), Dana Connolly, Lucille Norella, Susan Pisarri, and many more. We also made some new friends including Christabel Aidala, Filees Jupin and Allie Connolly. The exhibition will continue until July 23rd. Please contact them at mlfrdrdg@ptd.net for more information. You’ll find numerous photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Visual Arts JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

Road to COTA 07-11-06

Our Good Friends at The Celebration of the Arts (COTA) held a meeting at Our Good Friends at The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA to plan for the Jazz Celebration occurring September 8th, 9th, and 10th. Our Good Friends Lauren Chamberlain-Mussner, Frank Disalvo, Cyndie Dutkiewicz, Bill Goodwin, Jill Goodwin, Pat and Terry Gaughan, Tim Helman, Pastor Karen Nickels of Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of Mountain, Cheryl A. Read, Brian Stone, Christine Trembly, Jim Wyckoff, and Steve Krawitz were among those in attendance. Many issues were explored including the need for volunteers. Their next meeting will be Tuesday July 25th at 7:30pm. We hope you’ll support their endeavors. Please contact Our Good Friends at 570-424-3210 for more information. You’ll find some photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society COTA Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

Blue Grass Gap 07-09-06

Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of The Mountain in Delaware Water Gap, PA held their weekly Gazebo Concert featuring Blue Grass with Our Good Friends Louie Setzer and The Appalachian Mountain Boys. It was a great afternoon filled with some down home music that brought a smile to your heart and a tap to your toes. Our Good Friends Gary Lambert and Arline M. Smeltz were among the many who enjoyed the show. Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of The Mountain next concert will be Sunday July 16th at 6pm featuring Jazz with Jesse Green. Please contact them at 570-476-0345 for more information. You’ll find some photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Music JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

A Day in DWG 07-08-06

Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain, The Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery, and The Delaware Water Gap Chamber of Commerce in Delaware Water Gap, PA held several events throughout the day. Our Good Friends at The Presbyterian Church of the Mountain held their Annual Fine Arts and Crafts Show, Our Good Friends at The Antoine Dutot Museum and Gallery continued their exhibition of Our Good Friend‘s Beverly Abel‘s work with a visit from PA Governor Edward Rendell, and Our Good Friend at The Delaware Water Gap Chamber of Commerce held their Annual Founder’s Day Festival which was postponed from an earlier date due to the devastating flooding that engulfed the area.

Many of Our Good Friends were present. These included Our Good Friends Arline M. Smeltz, Beverly Abel, Lucille Norella of Connections Magazine, Bahereh Khordash, Frank Disalvo, Tim Helman, Lauren Chamberlain-Mussner, and Jill Goodwin of The Celebration of the Arts, Pat Gaughan of The Delaware Water Gap Chamber of Commerce, Monroe County, PA Commisioner Suzanne McCool, Liz Pemberton, Susan Washington, Willow of the Wisp Dolls, Jim Dellaria, Ursula Pooley, Dawn Kendall, and Nancy Scheirer of The Presbyterian Church of Mountain, Gary Lambert of The Shawnee Institute, Leigh Ann Stratakos of The 3 Moons along with Jo Ann Stratakos, Sue and Marty Wilson of The Dutot, and many more.

We’ve also made some New Friends which include Theresa Popiolek, Natasha Eastman and Gold, Mary K. Fodness, Barbara Lukachek, Congressional Candidate Joe Leonardi, and PA State Representative John J. Siptroth.

You’ll find photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Visual Arts and Music JAS Galleries at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam.

Sherman Anniversary Show 07-07-06

Our Good Friends at The Sherman Theatre and Center for the Performing Arts in Stroudsburg, PA held their 1st Anniversary Celebration featuring the music of the Beatles presented by a band called, “”1964: The Tribute.” It was a wonderful evening filled with fun and nostalgia for the great music from those boys from Liverpool. Our Good Friends Richard Berkowitz and Cheryl Yost (both of The Sherman Theatre) along with Our Good Friend Arline M. Smeltz were part of an appreciated and lively audience. We’ve also made a New Friend named Kim Setzer this wonderful evening. You’ll find photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Music JAS Gallery at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. The next event at The Sherman will be the music of The Drifters, Coasters, and Platters on Saturday July 15th. Please contact them at 570-420-2808 for more information.

Evening on Main 07-01-06

Our Good Friends at The Pocono Arts Council and The Jacob Stroud Corporation in Stroudsburg, PA held their monthly “Evening on Main” event featuring Visual Art and Music throughout the Stroudsburg Area. Musical performances by Our Good Friends Spencer Reed (Jazz Guitarist) and Greg Waltzer (Electronic Musician) along with exhibitions were held at Our Good Friends at Art World, The Artspace Gallery, The Andrei Art Gallery, and Fitzpatrick's Irish/Celtic Store while Our Good Friends Edgard Bernal, Arline M. Smeltz, Anna and Thomas Busteed, Will Daskal, Linda Mann, Jiavanna Skolnik, Richard Berkowitz (of The Sherman Theatre and Performing Arts Center), Marilyn Cooper (of The School Visual & Performing Arts), Suzanne McCool (Monroe County Commissioner), Gary Lambert along with Robert and Jill Howell (of The Shawnee Institute), and many others. You’ll find photographs in The Forwardian Arts Society Visual Arts, Main St., and Music JAS Galleries at 360.yahoo.com/pauladam. The next Evening on Main will take place Saturday August 5th. Please contact The Pocono Arts Council at 570-476-4460 for more information.