Good Evening – I wish to thank the Atlantic City Convention Authority, Jeffrey Vasser and all who voted to give me this prestigious award. It is an honor being recognized and I truly appreciate this award. I also would like to thank our sponsors who continue to believe in our project, NJ State Council of the Arts/Department of State through the Atlantic County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, New Jersey Commerce Economic Growth and Tourism Commission, City of Atlantic City Block Grant Program, City of Atlantic City, Atlantic City Convention Authority, Commerce Bank, Just 4 Wheels, Interstate Outdoors Advertising, Kinematica Inc, NJN Radio & TV, Kramer Beverage Co – Coors, Fairfield Inn by Marriott A.C. North, PNC Bank, Comcast, Borgata Hotel and Casino and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. Also, thanks to our Board of Directors, family, in-laws, my staff, our members, ZEO Bros, and the artists and anyone, I repeat anyone, who helped in anyway. I wish to thank you because I could not accomplish the Jazz Series without your help. THANKS to EVERYONE

We have become a very important part of the tourism market in Atlantic City. The Courier Post Newspaper named us as one of the People (10) who make a difference in Atlantic City. US Air Magazine, 2006 March issue, supported us with a full page picture article of our jazz concert. I have received awards from the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center for Community Outreach and was nominated for FAA Women of the Year Award. We also won the 2005 NJ Travel & Tourism Award at the Governor's Conference in Atlantic City.

Why? Because there are 500 to 600 people each week coming to enjoy the jazz concerts with their new found friends. There are seniors citizens from Atlantic City, nursing home residents, people in wheelchairs, and people from as far away as California. We have people bringing beach chairs on the train from as far as Bucks County and outlining areas of Philadelphia. There are people from all walks of life coming to Atlantic City for our concerts. There are Atlantic City people who enjoyed the beach, coming back to the concerts, as well as Atlantic City people who currently live out of town. We have two or more mayors and their wives coming to the concerts. We have judges from Philadelphia joining our membership program (3). We have people confessing to us about not wanting to come to Atlantic City (bad image) but because of our concerts they will continue to come and enjoy other parts of the city. I am saying this because we need support in order to continue this wonderful jazz series. Yes, we also bring the tourism market into the city. Yes, we also have the locals coming to enjoy the concerts. We are giving back to the city and the community. We need your help to continue this wonderful event.

The atmosphere at the concerts is warm, diverse, and dynamic. The jazz lovers call as far away as California, inquiring and wanting to come on vacation to enjoy the concerts.

I had the pleasure of growing up in Atlantic City in the 50's through the 60's. My family came in 1952 from St Petersburg, Fla. We moved here because my father was a waiter on the Silver Meter Train and his route was from New York City to Miami Florida. My family was a large family with seven sisters and brothers. My parents gave us a very good family background and excellent work ethics. My brother Gene Wallace and I founded the Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation Inc. In fact, what I recall is everyone having good work ethics and how families were very important. People looked out for each other and, in my world, they had a strong sense of self. This is also what I remember about the people on Chicken Bone Beach (Missouri Ave). The magic was on the beach with people enjoying each other.

This is the type of people we attract at the jazz concerts

When I voted for gambling in Atlantic City, I thought that the town would become a better town (hotels were old, tourist business was bad and the town needed something to bring back the magic). But as we started to improve, we noticed that all the facts of Black Atlantic City were disappearing.

We created Chicken Bone Beach Historical Foundation Inc because we wanted to show the new residence living in Atlantic City and tourists coming to Atlantic City that the black community had some very positive images. My sister, Cynthia Primas, and I decided to tell the story through jazz music. We chose jazz music as our number one choice because we knew that it attracted a diverse group of mature minded people. We wanted the jazz masters to tell the stories of the old black community. Secondly, we did not want to compete with the casinos, and, thirdly, my Cynthia had already formed an organization call IDEA working with Donald Byrd, artist and music professor from Delaware University. Cynthia and I talked about her forming the Chicken Bone Beach Youth Jazz Ensemble Jazz Camp. This youth jazz ensemble would work with our jazz masters. We currently have the Chicken Bone Beach Youth Jazz Ensemble (32-children) playing with our masters each year and the graduating seniors receive music ($200) scholarships from CBBHFI.

I believe in making the impossible possible and we attract sponsors who understand we all must win in order for this community to become a winner. We need a common vision that will pull each other up on the ladder and not be fearful of this action. We need help to continue this worthwhile project and to understand that tourism seeks diverse and cultural events every summer.

Heritage Tourism:

According to the February 2000 issue of Parks and Recreation Magazine, “heritage tourism” has become a major catalyst for the whole travel experience. In the October 2001 issue of Black Meetings and Tourism Magazine, “African Americans need and want a heritage experience to support their travel experience and heritage tourism among African Americans. European Travelers and the more educated American Travelers are now a large segment of tourism/travel market.

In closing, please visit our web site www.chickenbonebeach.org for additional information about our organization. We have a package for the audience that we would like to give you with our brochure for membership and our jazz schedule for this summer.

Again thank you very much and good night.