August 22, 2023

 

MEMBERS ATTENDING: 

Sharon Buckman, Shirley Hinman, Diane Stratton, Cindy Horgash, Amy Brailey

 

PREVIOUS MINUTES:

Sharon Buckman and Diane Stratton had read the minutes from the previous meeting, and thus they were approved as correct

 

 

NEW BUSINESS: 

The group members noted the recent passing of David Graczyk, the husband of longtime 

WOH Member, RuthAnn Graczyk, and expressed their thoughts of sympathy.

There was a brief discussion about future meetings.  One of the employees from Bulldog Park notified a group member that future Tuesday meetings would be held in a “downstairs” room rather the room on the 2^nd floor due to a larger group needing the room on the 2^nd floor.

The group had meeting on Tuesdays due to the availability of the room, but the WOH schedule lists the meetings returning to the original meeting day of Thursdays, beginning in October.

(No meeting site location is currently listed yet for October and November.)

Diane Stratton shared information with the group that an “Author/Illustrator Convention”

(for local and aspiring authors) is scheduled at the Lowell Library on Saturday, Sept. 16^th,

From 9am to 3pm.  It will feature nine local authors and is focused on both young readers and adults.  Workshops for youngsters will be in the morning. There will be workshops for the adults beginning at 12 noon.  There will also be open floor panel time before that and open discussion time in the afternoon.  It is free and open to the public. 

The Lowell Library is located at 1505 E. Commercial Ave., Lowell, IN  46356

Contact them at 219-696-7704 or at their website:  www.lowellpl.lib.in.us

More info and the convention schedule can be found on the library’s Facebook page.

Diane Stratton shared that someone had mentioned to her that they had interest in attending a WOH meeting and were looking for information about when and where meetings take place on the WOH website.  Contact information does exist on the website to gain details on meetings by emailing their inquiry.  However, Diane noticed that the area “about us” on the website still lists meetings as occurring on the 1^st and 3^rd Thursdays, while the the “information”part of the website lists meetings as being on the 2^nd and 4^th Thursdays, and so some updating will be done to reflect current situation.

Members agreed that readings shared at tonight’s meeting would also be read at the next meeting due to the fact that so many of the other members were unable to attend this meeting and would otherwise miss the readings and opportunity to share their critiques.

READINGS:

AMY BRAILEY shared her story, “The Persistent Bullfrog”.  The descriptive story goes interestingly back in history to tell of two very different families of next door neighbors and the strain that is caused between them when a loud, persistent bullfrog disturbs them both repeatedly and the wife in one family demands that it is the responsibility of the other family’s husband to rectify the situation. It details the challenges he encounters and the unique solution he finally employs to kindly treat the frog while also solving the neighborhood difficulty.

Her humorous short story, “Green Bean Wrinkle Cream” was read in entertaining, storytelling fashion by CINDY HORGASH.  It humorously depicts the interesting and diverse personalities playing Bunco together and the conversations that ensue at the assisted living community where Cindy volunteers.  From the sharing of “old wives’ tales, Cindy learned of a helpful homegrown recipe that proved useful in one way.  But she then got some reproving “common sense” advice from the gentleman who shared the tip when she endeavored to extend the recipe to an entirely different use toward beauty rather than health.

SHIRLEY HINMAN read her heartfelt poem, “I Will Never Forget” which pays tribute to her late, close cherished friend with whom she grew up.  The poem lovingly refers to activities, teachers and experiences they shared through the years as well as special things that brought them happiness.  She sentimentally acknowledges how she will never forget those times and all the memories they shared and experienced together through the school years.

“OLD MAC” is the true short story written and read by SHARON BUCKMAN.  It depicts the childhood events of Sharon’s husband just as he has told them to her.  It details the moves the family made while he was growing up and the challenges he encountered in each new location due to enduring embarrassment over a slight speech impediment.  The story tells of his emotions and the different situations he experienced through that era of time while growing and maturing. It happily describes the life changing experience and precious lessons learned from “Mac” an old friend of his parents with whom he gets to stay and visit in their former hometown during one summer that helps him to grow immensely.

MEETING CLOSING & ADJOURNMENT:  Due to the shorter reading time with tonight’s attendance being smaller, Amy Brailey was able to share description of experiences and photos of her recent trip to Egypt. 

The meeting was then adjourned at 7:20pm.

Respectfully,

Diane Stratton

AUGUST 8, 2023

 

 

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Kathy Flotz, Sharon Buckman, Al Koch, Beverly Stanislawski, Shirley Hinman, Cindy Horgash, Diane Stratton

 

 

 

 

READINGS:

SHARON BUCKMAN read her two page short story entitled, “When Do I Get To Be Smart?” The story told of the difficulty of trying to keep up with the younger generation as we get older.

KATHY FLOTZ told of the difficulty of keeping our memoirs and family tree alive since this information is not on the top of our list when talking to our grandchildren.  She suggested that it would solve this problem if it were documented somehow.

AL KOCH read his one page document entitled, “The Question,” a question to be answered by others; and the response never to be heard by the person in question.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her five stanza Pantoun  poem entitled, “Intertwined,” a poem showing hearts that once loved can love again if beginning love was really strong.

SHIRLEY HINMAN read her one page poem entitled, “Sink or Swim.”  The summary of the poem stated we each have callings and a vision in life.  We should work to use our gifts and talents to fulfill the plan God has for us, swim instead of sink.

CINDY HORGASH read her three-page short story entitled, “Oh, Grandpa, You Didn’t?  This was a story about a grandpa sharing his memories with his granddaughter.

DIANE STRATTON read, her short story entitled, “Be Kind.”  The story told of a young Down’s Syndrome boy selling various items that featured only one design, Be Kind, a statement that got right down to the important fact – Be Kind.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:

SHARON BUCKMAN

 

JULY 11, 2023

                                                   

 MEMBERS PRESENT:

Kathy Flotz, Judy Neuman, Bob Neuman, Beverly Stanislawski, Sharon Palmeri, Diane Stratton, Al Koch, Sharon Buckman, Cindy Horgash.

OLD BUSINESS:

A vote of approval for the June 29, 2023 minutes was given by Judy and Bob Neuman.

NEW BUSINESS:

Sharon Palmeri suggested that the members should begin to start thinking about where they would like the December Christmas Party to be held.  Sharon also stated that there would be no meeting on July 25^th.

READINGS:

KATHY FLOTZ read her one page diamonte poem entitled, “Welcome to the World, Marin.”  This poem is about her granddaughters journey from heaven to earth.  Kathy also read a second poem entitled, “Evening Glow,” which describes the Lake Flambeau’s shores of their house on the lake.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read her four page short story entitled, “A matter of Time.”  The humorous story tells of a henpecked husband, Henry, trying to find a way out of his unhappy marriage.  His plan goes awry and he ends up ending his own life as well.

SHARON PALMERI read two of her memoirs.  The first, “Student Teaching,” tells of how she gave up her life of nursing to become a student teacher.  Sharon’s second story, “The Zuni Fetish Necklace,” told of finding a beautiful hand carved Zuni Fetish necklace which she had found at the Mesa Verdi National Park.  The necklace was kept in a box labeled “Sacred Cornmeal.”

CINDY HORGASH read her three page humorous picture book story  about a boy who believes his new baby sister is from Mars.

BOB NEUMAN read two poems.  The first poem “The Frame Up,” was from the Art Museum.  The second poem, “The Flea and the Lion,”  was a poem about a lion and a flea.

AL KOCH read his three page short story entitled, “Front Porch.”  A place for all ages, seasons of the year and seasons of the heart; where ordinary minutes become extraordinary moments of remembrance of today , yesterday, and once-upon-a-time.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:10 P.M.

Respectfully submitted:  SHARON BUCKMAN

JUNE 13, 2023

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Amy Brailey, Sharon Buckman, Ruthann Graczyk, Shirley Hinman, Cindy Horgash, Katherine Flotz, Al Koch, Bob Neuman, Judy Neuman, Sharon Palmeri, Beverly Stanislawski, and Diane Stratton.

MINUTES. Several had read the minutes which were approved.

NEWS: REMINDER…NEXT MEETNG ON TUESDAY, JUNE 27, DOWNSTAIRS  BDPark.

NEW BUSINESS 

Members welcomed back Sharon Buckman and Ruthann Graczyk·   

 Sharon Palmeri shared two concerns. (1) The need for the return of  Pre-Covid  protocol in our meetings with a ratification of minutes, a treasurer’s report, etc. since we are a 501c3 organization and (2) that the group be concerned with critiquing the writings of the members. Otherwise, she said, it’s just a sharing group.

        Amy Brailey shared that in the fall, she will be teaching a creative writing class, in addition to history.

       Sharon Palmeri Shared that she will be teaching a Fall class on Writing Children’s Books at the Crown Point Library this Fall.

         Al Koch shared about a group in Whiting, IN., that he regularly attends. At their luncheon, three men at a nearby table, anonymously paid for the group’s $380 meal. Sharon Palmeri also shared about times when someone “paid it forward,” and how, while in a fast-food line, she did likewise. She found out later that 15 of the patrons behind her vehicle did the same.

READINGS:

SHARON BUCKMAN shared a true story, “Our Guardian Angels,” about an almost-drowning accident, and its after effects.

AMY BRAILEY read “Disappearances.” It was about strange disappearances in a small town the led two teenagers to go and search for one of their missing siblings. This was another in her stories that leaves you with the question, “What Happens Next?”

BOB NEUMAN read “My English Class ‘Whoas’!” which dealt with grammar guffaws.

 JUDY NEUMAN shared two poems she wrote. The first was “A Colorful View” which expressed appreciation that God did not make the world in black and white. Her second poem, “Creation Revisited” presented our need for God’s forgiveness.

CINDY HORGASH read, “Cinderella at Starbucks,” a true story about her first visit to Starbucks.

KATHERINE FLOTZ continued her article, “The Journey.” It was Christmas time and Michael went to the city of Ulm, in Germany, to look for a warm coat and gifts for Peter in America. He met a man from Los Angeles that worked for Tom Wilson. And so it goes….

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read three poems. The first one, “Poop Scoop,” was about a colonoscopy. Her next one, “Friendly Felines” was a clever one about cats. The last one was a sonnet titled, “Overcoming.”

SHARON PALMERI continued reading from her memoirs. This selection was titled “Transitions 1989-90.” Sharon wrote about a change in her career from nursing to Education, majoring in English and minoring in Journalism. She came to that decision for many reasons, one of which she chose literature or writing classes for nearly all of her electives. She thought this was a “not so subtle” hint to switch careers.                                

AL KOCH shared “Mind Drift” His summary was moments in time, images from yesteryear, wistful remembrances of once-upon-a-time drift across the mind like gossamer, webs displaying treasures from the gift of days that captured the heart.

SHIRLEY HINMAN read a poem titled “Empty.” Summary: It was so lonely, empty, and frustrating to find the town so bare, for no reason. Where was everyone?

MEETNG ADJOURNED at 7 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Neuman