jun09newspg4

A native of Ft. Lauderdale, Sandra has been studying piano, and still is, since the early age of 5. Her father played boogie woogie piano at home and he instilled a jazz background.

She has been playing standards for years until DJSLC members, Steve Rich and Royce Johnson, introduced her to Dixieland. She played with them at The Crystal Beer Parlor in Savannah for quite a while until it closed in November of 2008.

Another main interest for her is working with dogs and horses and she is very active in Rescue Service for cats and dogs.

Sandra lives now in a small town in Georgia some 30 miles northeast of the I16/Statesboro junction. She has found that the Dixieland Jazz Society is just plain fun to attend and she really enjoys playing with the various musicians. It is well worth the long drive!

Mark Leonard Stuppy, 82, of Hilton Head Island, died Sunday, May 24, 2009 at the Preston Health Center. He was born on April 18, 1927 in Tower City, PA. Mark moved to Hilton Head in 1972 from Bradford Woods, PA, where he was president of F.B. Leopold Company. He was a founding member of Jazz Reborn on HHI and a self taught pianist and trombonist. Mark was passionate about music and golf. He has been a member of DJSLC since 1993 and we enjoyed his presence on the bandstand.

Recently, the Dixieland Jazz Society’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a contribution of $2000 to The Jazz Corner’s Junior Jazz Foundation, a not for profit organization dedicated to help stimulate interest in jazz music for the youth. Below is a sampling of the accomplishments of The Foundation during the past four years. We are proud to be a sponsor of this wonderful cause and we thank you, our members, for your personal and financial support.

Twenty two students have been sent to one week jazz camps, and thirty new/used instruments, including two keyboards, and a full drumset have been donated. The Corner sponsored an all day clinic for the high school with Florida State University faculty and students giving classes, demonstrations, and an early evening concert.

There have been four workshop events at The Jazz Corner and an annual scholarship program has been established. Annual donations have been presented to both Sea Pines Academy and Hilton Head Christian Academy which have been used for equipment purchases. Participation has been established with SCETV to produce the music portion of “knowitall. org”, a learning website for children.

The program has touched over 200 students.