07/20/2016
As posted below....
With my deep appreciation for your support over so many years and for many years to com....
Twelve years ago local saxophonist Joe Alessandro asked me to help him realize his dream of officially celebrating jazz and jazz education in our community. On July 23, 2005, that “day of jazz” in State College was the beginning of what we now know as JazzPA. With support and participation of people like you, two years later, JazzPA was able to incorporate as a tax-exempt non-profit organization with IRS 501c3 designation. As the board of JazzPA began to plan for the 2016 festival, we realized that this year, our 10th as producer of the Summer Jazz Celebration, would be an appropriate opportunity to suspend our festival production for one year. Our focus during this hiatus will be to evaluate our mission and goals to ensure continued compliance with the responsibilities of our non-profit status and to secure the long-term future of JazzPA by building on the successful components of our organizational structure, volunteer resources, and the financial support from friends like you. Rest assured that JazzPA will continue to have a presence in jazz performance and education during 2016 in the community, but our efforts will focus on providing another fabulous Summer Jazz Celebration in July of 2017. With your help we will work to build on Joe’s original dream and make JazzPA sustainable for generations to come.
Sincerely, Catherine
