Coming Down To The COTA Wire

The Celebration of the Arts (COTA) held its general meeting at The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA www.facebook.com/deerhead.inn on Tuesday August 26th to plan their 37th Annual Jazz and Arts Festival which is scheduled to be held September 5th - 7th. I arrived at the meeting a bit later than usual and found the room packed with jazz and festival lovers eagerly absorbing the news shared by the Board of Directors and committee chairs. Unfortunately, from my vantage point, I couldn’t hear much of what was being discussed but I could feel the energies as they were focused upon making the final preparations for the festival.

One if these preparations manifested itself in the announcement that the New COTA Tee Shirt were available for distribution to volunteers who would support this year’s festival as staff members. So, when the members of the Tee Shirt Committee, Norma and Ron Hart, pulled one of the garments out of the box they were stored in, an enthusiastic round of applause filled the room. The reality of another festival and all the memories it will create became much closer to the attendees as they picked up their shirts at the end of the meeting.

The meeting came to a close and I shared some joyously thoughtful words with my friends before bidding them adieu. I then traveled to the neighboring Presbyterian Church of the Mountain www.facebook.com/pages/Presbyterian-Church-of-the-Mountain/234593743269661 who were hosting the second of three rehearsals for The Celebration of the Arts Jazz Mass which takes place annually on the Sunday Morning of the festival. Members of the Choir led by Teresa Marino and Orchestra led by Richard Chamberlain played together in the church’s fellowship hall as their harmonies blended into a beautifully appetizing foretaste of the wonderful spiritually nutritious meal that awaits all those who will be present at the Mass.

The final general meeting is scheduled to be held at The Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA on Tuesday September 2nd beginning at 6:30pm. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this meeting as all ideas are welcomed and opportunities to participate as volunteers are provided. You’ll find more photographs taken during the Tuesday August 26th meeting at The COTA Meetings 2014 Gallery at www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152423759645421.1073741897.636000420&type=1.

The mission of The Celebration of the Arts (COTA) is to present and to support the art of jazz in all its forms and historical breadth through youth education, performing arts presentations, scholarship opportunities, and community outreach throughout the Pocono area. Please Explore The Celebration of the Arts Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/pages/COTA-Celebration-Of-The-Arts/234094683405815, their Website at www.cotajazz.org, or by calling 570-424-2210 to learn how you can become a volunteer and to learn for more information all about COTA has to offer.