By Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter
United States Ambassador Sue Cobb (centre), raises a toast with her husband Charles (left) and Custos of Kingston Canon Weeville Gordon. They were celebrating 227th Anniversary of the United States of America at the Ambassador's residence on Long Lane last week. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
THE PARTY-GOERS had barely gotten enough rest after Canada's National Day celebrations on July 1st before the Americans big day, 4th of July swung around.
The residence of United States Ambassador Sue Cobb and husband Charles, was adorned in the red, white and blue in celebration of this, the most special day for the United States. For Ambassador Cobb and her husband, this was their second fourth of July celebration in Jamaica.
From the stars and stripes light that trimmed the hedges, to the marines smartly adorned in their uniforms, the lawns were a sea of colour. While guests caught up on the latest news onthe social scene, the Maurice Gordon Jazz Quartet kept the fingers snapping and the heads bouncing. They tinkered, strummed and pattered away, bringing a little of every genre, not just what their name suggested.
Every birthday party needs a fine art cake, and this one was a masterpiece. Equally divided down the middle, the right half emblazoned a majestic eagle, wings spread over the quote "land of the free, home of the brave". The left side was also divided into a top and bottom half. The top half painted a picture of the Statue of Liberty merged with the American flag. The lower portion twinned a picture seen in history books of the flag being sewn and another with the signees of the famous declaration.
A few gentlemen regretted that this was a summer night in Jamaica and probably should have left the jackets in the car. Thank goodness for standing fans. The speeches were short but the supply of the hors d'oeuvres wasn't. The quiche and puff pastry were huge favourites. You didn't have to occupy an American bar to sample American potable favourites such as Bud Lite. Some guests turned away disappointed though as there was no fireworks display this year. But that provided no damper on the event.
Among those who came to wish the US "Happy Birthday" were former editor-in-chief of The Gleaner, Wyvolyn Gager; Superintendent of Police, Claude Samuels; Senior Superintendent, Lola Evans; former Commissioner of Police, Trevor McMillan and wife Dr. Olivia
McDonald; Honorary Consul to Iceland, Robert MacMillan; former Jamaican Bar Association president Derek Jones and wife, Maureen; Barbara Clarke; JLP Member of Parliament Delroy Chuck; Dennis Lalor; Rhonda Weir; Ecuadorian Consul Clelia Hunter; Dominican Republic Ambassador Arsenio Jimenez; PAHO representative, Dr. Manuel Pena and wife, Yamila, and Executive Director of the American Chamber of Commerce, Betty Stockhausen.
