Noon Concert Series gaining popularity with locals

LOGAN – The Cache Community Connection’s Summer Noon Concert and Lectures Series has grown in popularity, says Carol Foht in her fourth year as the coordinator for the Logan Tabernacle interfaith events.

“I take daily count, and we average 254 for each performance,” she said. “I did a survey, and we have more people attending than before.”

She said some 34 percent are community members, that includes the performances that bring in family members. Of the Summer Citizens, 55 percent were from Arizona. There are 10 different states and some from England and the UK who spend their lunch hour at the tabernacle.

“About 10 percent of the audience were first-time attenders,” Foht said. “We have a nice variety of musical performances and speakers from the area.”

Cache Valley has so many talented people to draw from, she said.

“I have performers send in recordings to see if they fit what we are trying to do here,” she said. “I also try to find speakers with interesting stories.”

Hoht said people have been very positive about the noon series.

“People seem like the mix of the different performances and presentations from inspirational speakers,” she said. “Some said they liked the speakers so I’m going to continue in that direction.”

They had a fellow from Heber City, Jake Harvath, who went 14,000 miles on horseback crossing the country, she said. She had a lot of positive comments about him.

In the four years Foht has been organizing the noon series she has developed friendships with many of the Summer Citizens.

Jerry and Sherri Jenson, volunteers from Arizona, had been coming to Logan for years.

“I used Jerry as a greeter for years,” Foht said. “This summer when he came up he greeted at every concert until Friday, June 14.”

Unfortunately, Jerry passed away from a heart condition on June 19. His wife, Sherri, was also a volunteer and had his service at White Pine Funeral Home.

Sherri decided to stay here until the end of summer. She had received so much support from other Summer Citizens and people in the valley.

“The people here are so nice. People that live in this area are so lucky,” Sherri said. “If it weren’t for the cold winters, I would probably move up here. This place is as close to Utopia as it gets.”

Many of the Summer Citizens knew Jerry because he always greeted them and was very welcoming and friendly.

Sheri complemented the people at White Pine Funeral Home for their kindness and professionalism during her husband’s passing.

Another Summer Citizens couple, Anna and Harry Mazzolla, have been coming to Logan for about 14 years. Harry is an avid hiker and had hiked the Grand Canyon 11 times. He contracted bladder cancer and goes back to Arizona to do chemo about once a month.

As soon as he can after chemo he comes back to Logan and attends the Noon Concert and Lecture series.

“Jerry has cochlear implants; he can hear the music fine but has a hard time picking out voices,” Anna said. “Attending the concerts is the highlight of our summer.”

A cochlear implant is a small electronic device that improves moderate to severe hearing loss.

“When he does chemotherapy, we stay in a hotel so he won’t be compromised,” she said. “We come back to attend the concerts and lectures and visit with friends we have made here as soon as we can.”

She said she enjoys the noon series in the Historic Tabernacle.

“What a beautiful building. Carol does such a good job bringing in a variety of performers and speakers,” she said. “We look forward to coming here year after year.”

Many of the audience come in their blue Summer Citizen t-shirts and are respectful to the performers.

On Tuesday, July 15, Bob Parson, a well-known local guitar player and singer, entertained the group assembled at the Tabernacle. The audience was quiet while he sang his songs and laughed when cracked his jokes. He was well received.

The summer concert series will continue until July 31 at noon.