WOH MINUTES FOR JUNE 16, 2010

MEMBERS PRESENT:
Beverly Stanislawski, Judy Whitcomb, Sandra Nantais, Tom Spencer, Sharon Palmeri, Sharon Buckman, Kathy Flotz, Jackie Huppenthal

GUESTS PRESENT:
Fred Sweezey

NEWS:

l. Sharon Palmeri stated she had called to make reservations for the Christmas Party. It will be on Wednesday, December lst at the Lake of Four Seasons clubhouse, same as last year. The clubhouse has requested an early deposit, the fee is $l7.95 per person. Sharon said she is expecting about 30 to 40 people to attend this year. The early deposit will also help her to know exactly how many to expect. She also attended a workshop on "Roles." It included warm-up activities with a description of different types of people and placing them in various categories. This workshop was held at the Genisus Center (behind the Post Tribune building). All workshops are free to those accepted into the program.

2. Tom Spencer said he had just recently returned from the National State Poetry Convention. Next year’s convention will be held at the Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. The l0l2 convention will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville. He also stated a few of the rules have changed and prose poetry can now be entered. He was hoping that Beverly Stanislawski would make a few entries.

3. Sandra Nantais's daughter has just graduated. They celebrated by going to Tall Trees, a nature conservatory in Valparaiso. It was enjoyed by everyone.

4. Judy Whitcomb stated she is still doing the weather as the curricular developer at Northwestern University, a program directed for middle school.

5. Jackie Huppenthal stated she had been involved in organizing a grade school reunion. The reunion turned out to be a success and had a great turnout.

6. Beverly Stanislawski has not been doing any writing lately due to some health issues. It seems, among other things, she had a problem involving her lawn mower not wanting to go up a hill. The lawnmower won.

7. Kathy Flotz stated she had just returned from Wisconsin. They have been enjoying watching a video of themselves taken at their speaking engagement in Dakota, Ill.

8. Sharon Buckman has also been laying off from writing lately since her grandson has been home from school.

9. Fred Sweezey stated he has been busy constantly changing previous writings.

READINGS:

KATHY FLOTZ wrote a diamond shaped poem taken from page 56, 5th sentence, of her book "Pebble in my Shoe." The sentence, "After my father left for the army, we prayed each night for him," and the poem, was a beautiful tribute to her father.

SHARON BUCKMAN wrote "Sentence of the Month," which was taken from page 56, 5th sentence, of the book "The Broker." The sentence, He pulled some bills out of his pocket and laid them on the file," went on to tell the story of a doctor becoming irritated with a patient who entered her office when it was closed and wanted to be seen.

FRED SWEEZEY read a number of misc. sayings which involved a number of deep thoughts and memories.

TOM SPENCER had written a poem which received honorable mention entitled "The Travesty of Lobbyist." The five stanza poem told of a man coming to the states expecting to find all the freedoms he had heard so much about and his various disappointments.

SANDRA NANTAIS continued with her poem "30 N Michigan Avenue." Her four stanza poem, telling of a black marbled building in Chicago, told of some of the history of the building. It was decided that instead of being read going downwards with each stanza, as she had written it, could also be read going across the page, and still make a good poem.

JUDY WHITCOMB wrote a story taken from page 56, 5th sentence, in President Obama's book "The Audacity of Hope." The story, entitled "Unbalanced," told of the problems facing a young boy after years of a friendship with one young girl and suddenly finding a girl friend in his teenage years.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read a short story she had previously written entitled, "The Odd Bird." The story told of a very ugly bird, shunned by other birds and later having the last laugh at becoming the most beautiful bird of all.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:05 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:
Sharon Buckman