Another readiing for National Poetry Month

Hi everyone,

Thanks to AMY JARDELL and Ozarks Literacy Council for sponsoring and former Springfield mayor BOB STEPHENS for rounding up local poets and setting up dates, the month-long series of poetry readings continues with a session tonight at 6:00 in the Republic Library. I look forward to joining KAREN CRAIGO, LORA KNIGHT, and BOB (himself a poet) at the library.

In total there are thirteen dates set during April, each featuring four or five poets. I was able to schedule for three. Tonight is my second. The final reading for me will be on the 25th at 6:30 in The Library Center in Springfield. Each poet has ten minutes or so to read and time passes easily. I hope to see some of you there tonight and on the 25th.

Off we go

Hi everyone,

I enjoyed my time off. It came at a price though. I’m so far behind with so many people and projects that it will take a week to get caught up. Some nice things happened that I want to tell you about. If I owe you an answer to something, please be patient with me for a while. I promise to ge to you as soon as I can work through the backlog.

For one thing, thanks are do to everyone who has purchased a copy of THIS LIFE, AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, especially those who have shared such warm comments about what you think of it. That means a lot. If you still intend to get a copy, here’s the link. https://ozarksstudies.missouristate.edu/book-series.htm

As you know, April is National Poetry Month. For the second year, former Springfield mayor, BOB STEPHENS, and Director of the Ozarks Literacy Council, AMY JARDELL, are leading a group of local poets in a series of poetry readings throughout the month. Tonight leads off the series of 13 locations, at One Parkway Place at 7:00. I think there are to be four of us, or five. I can only make three of the readings but look forward to each and will let you know when and where they are as they come up.

Words and Pictures at The Library Center

Hi everyone,

AMY JARDELL, Executive Director of Ozarks Literacy Council, has announced that photographer RANDY BACON’S exhibition, Words and Pictures, is now on display in the reading room and the central room across from the children’s library at The Library Center in Springfield. Space is limited so not all pictures in the original show are included. I don’t know if I’m in this selection but I can tell you that every photograph and personal story in the exhibition is worth your time to go see.

Poster from original exhibition

At the end of September the display will be moved to the Duane G. Meyer Library on the MSU campus and remain there through December.

Words and Pictures

Hi everyone,

Tonight is the VIP showing of Words and Pictures — The Power of Literacy through Portraits and Stories — a collaborative effort by Ozark Literacy Council and RANDY BACON, sponsored by Arvest Bank. It’s my privilege to be one of the subjects in the exhibition, which opens to the public tomorrow (Saturday, March 26) and remains open through May 28. I hope some of you will go see the black and white portraits of twenty-one subjects and their stories about they became so involved in and committed to promoting literacy in our community and beyond.

An artist at work

Hi everyone,

I had a fine time yesterday having my picture taken by master portrait photographer Randy Bacon. Randy was assisted by Cindy Dodson who snapped this shot during the shoot and sent it my way. I like this picture and wanted to share it today. Thanks again to Randy for joining forces with Amy Jardell and the folks at Ozarks Literacy Council to celebrate the 20th anniversary since an original event to encourage and support efforts to focus on improving literacy. There are to be twenty people featured in the exhibit, which will open in March 2022. I’m honored to be one of them.