Blues Camp Palm Beach County
Photo by Fernando Jones
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FERNANDO JONES’ BLUES CAMP PALM BEACH COUNTY. FLORIDA
December 29, 2019 to January 3, 2020
From Fernando Jones' desk in Chicago
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Blues Camp Palm Beach County Florida on ABC News
To Mr. C. Ron Allen and his Team -- including but was not limited to The KOP Mentoring Network, local political and civic/community leaders and offices; from Ms. Mike who gave the Blues Kids free rides on the carousel to the new partnership with RR's School of Rock to the Arts Garage; to the sororities, fraternities and Masonic organizations; and other social and civic organizations; and from the Mayor's Office to the police department to the parents and volunteers such as Suzette Franklin Sandra Ramsey who welcomed my team (including original Blues Camp International instructors Felton Crews, Quincy Cochran and myself) -- y'all established one mind blowing inaugural Blues Camp. For that we are grateful and eager to return in the Spring and Winter to serve the great purpose of the Social Emotional Learning through America's roots music, The Blues. I'd be remised if I didn't mention how mannerable the Blues Kids were . . . not one disciplinary conversation was needed. This is a model city for this program and those to come. I'm so appreciative.
On behalf of Felton, Quincy and myself, we are also thankful for the extra attention to detail your team gave us and the Blues Kids of Palm Beach County -- from our home girl from Gary, Indiana to Iris J. to Ms. Jenkins to Vice - Mayor Johnson to the food from the Blues Mamas to the Commissioner providing the Bamboo Room to The Paradise. From Chief of Police Sims to the man who connected C. Ron and I together, Dwayne Bryant.
To put this verbosity of gratitude into context , we, Blues Kids Foundation, provide instruction globally for student musicians and parents who not only want to be involved in a live music, hands-on environment, but those who simply want to be kids and have fun, give without remembering, while each time going above contractual agreements and Memorandums of Understanding. However, too many "receivers" of the Blues Camp experience have received without remembering the free-heartedness. Not y'all, respectfully! In 30 years of my Blues Kids of America programming and 10 years of Blues Camps from Japan to Cuba, only 3 people (3 hosts) have shown continual weekly, non-solicited fellowship, kindness and hospitality throughout our tenure in their towns to me and my crew and they are: Chris Juergensen (Blues Camp Tokyo, Japan), Jackie Scott (Blues Camp Hampton, VA) and C. Ron Allen (Blues Camp Palm Beach). For that I'd need a thesaurus to find a bigger word to say thanks to the folks of Palm Beach County. Since not, please accept the verbosity above to replace that one little word with loudness to the tenth power.
Please also accept this reflection report as reinforcement of the invitation I, personally, gave to C. Ron for your team and the 20 Blues Kids to attend Blues Camp Chicago from Sunday, July 5 to Friday, July 10, 2020. Because of him, the selfless man of God the KOP kids are safer and smarter and even the Alphas are better for having him as their frat brother.
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Congratulations to Blues Camp Palm Beach County for the planning & preparation of which made our job instructing that much easier. Our time and focus was then centered totally on the students, who enthusiastically stayed engaged. Thank you C. Ron Allen for allowing us to participate and contribute to such a worthy cause. Good job!
- Felton Crews
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I’m humbled to have been a part of this new branch of Blues Camp; I’m honored to have had the kids that we had come together to be educated and try something completely new, whilst stepping way outside their comfort zone; the kids received more than just a week of music, they received a week of love and appreciation, and not only the students were touched, but so were, we, the instructors.
Blessed to be a blessing,
- Quincy Cochran
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Below is a video documentation of-the-week. Due to attention span, they are, hopefully, tastefully done to capture and showcase camp from different perspectives. Feel free to share with friends and on social media.
Mr C Ron Allen
Chief Sims at Blues Camp 2020 & The Blues Kids of Delray Beach, Florida
Chief Javaro Sims on Blues Camp | Delray Beach, Florida Jan. 2020
Vice Mayor Shirley Johnson at Blues Camp Palm Beach County
C Ron Allen (Interview) Blues Camp Palm Beach County
Dwayne Bryant, Motivational Speaker at Blues Camp Palm Beach County
"Lift Every Voice & Sing" by John and James Johnson
Ain't no party like a Blues Kids Party (Blues Camp Palm Beach County 2020)
Blues Camp Palm Beach Florida Is . . . (by the Blues Kids)
One Question: Blues Camp Palm Beach 2020
Mr Quincy Cochran at Blues Camp Delray Beach, Florida
Thanks MB Blues Camp Florida
Thanks Alpha Phi Alpha from Blues Camp Palm Beach County
Thanks RD Blues Camp Florida
ASF Blues Camp Florida
Quincy Cochran at Mt Olive Baptist Church
Quincy Cochran | Blues Kids & Church
Mr Quincy Cochran at Blues Camp Delray Beach, Florida
Internationally known Bluesman Fernando Jones founded Blues Camp, an international program, and established it Monday, July 5, 2010 on the campus of Columbia College Chicago where he is on faculty in the Music Department. Jones said, "It has been a dream since childhood to have a centrally located place where children could come and play the Blues in a user friendly, nurturing environment on a college or performing arts campus."
The Blues Kids Foundation is an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. We were established to preserve, perform and promote the Blues among America's youth, parents and educators under the tutelage of highly qualified instructors. Our focus is on education, literacy, social emotional learning and music as a second language.