August 13th

 NOTE:

    Unfortunately, we didn’t meet on August 13 because of power outages caused by the August 11 derecho and a few tornadoes.  Homes and cars were demolished.  Lives were lost.  Trees were uprooted and thrown around like toys.  

    Some people were lucky and didn’t lose power; some had generators. Those without power or generators may have been sitting by candlelight, or at a friend’s or relative’s home.  The loss of homes and property has been devastating.

    Today is August 21, and many people still have no power.  After this passes,  we will all have something to write about. 

    The one beautiful thing is that so many people have come together to help those in need by opening their homes for lodging, food, and showers.

    This is the second time in two months that tornadoes have raged through our area, causing major damage. 

Respectfully, 

Sharon Palmeri

July 23, 2026

(Note from Sharon Palmeri: I wanted to thank everyone again for the wonderful surprise birthday party. It truly meant a lot to me.)

July 23, 2026 – Called to Order at 6:05 PM

Sharon Palmeri asked if anyone had read the minutes.  Al Koch, Trent Pendley, and Karen Lauper all acknowledged having read the minutes.  The minutes were accepted.  Refreshments were served to acknowledge Sharon’s birthday, which was also on the 23^rd.   Sharon mentioned that Ruthann’s birthday was on the 22^nd, so it was a double celebration.  A photo was taken and is posted here.

MEMBERS PRESENT:

Sharon Buckman, Andrew Cummins, Nicholas Dapkus, Katerine Flotz, Ruthann Graczyk, Shirley Hinman, Al Koch, Karen Lauper, Bob Neuman, Judy Neuman, Sharon Palmeri, Trent D. Pendley, Diane Stratton, John Terpstra, and Shirley Vaughan.

OLD BUSINESS:

Sharon is waiting for submissions for our book.  She has received very few.  The deadline is July 30, 2026.  Diane asked if anyone needed a copy of the guidelines, as there are copies available.

NEW BUSINESS:

Diane advised that the Lake County Public Library in Merrillville is offering writing classes for four (4) months beginning in September and running through December.  There will be a different topic each month (e.g., write your family story, write your obituary, etc.), and writing prompts will be given to help you get started.  The first date is Wednesday, September 2^nd at 2:00 p.m.

Karen shared the good news that her story “Missing Pieces,” which she read on April 9^th about her father, will be published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Miracles, and Other Wonders.

Diane mentioned that Grace Bierman, a writer from Valparaiso, Indiana, was a contestant on Jeopardy.

READINGS:

BOB NEUMAN read “Fire and Ice,” which is a poem about two contemporary events – the fires in Canada and the parasitic-infected Iceberg lettuce. 

SHIRLEY HINMAN read “The Water,” a poem inspired by the Indiana Dunes that describes how the water touches her soul and calls her to return repeatedly. 

JOHN TERPSTRA read Part 2 of “River Billies,” which details what a typical night was like at RiverBillies

AL KOCH read “20^th Century Tribute,” reminding us that time goes by at the speed of life.  The 20^th Century snippets presented here for review are an invitation and appetizers to more fully enjoy the diverse menu prepared and served throughout the past one hundred years.  As each cognitive morsel of life on Earth is visited, sampled, and savored, remembrance of each day’s treasure reminds us to value and appreciate the gift of each day.

SHIRLEY VAUGHAN continued reading from her novel entitled “The Path of Their Existence,” Chapter 9, about many people from Planet Turaeus who had died and traveled in the spiritual realm through the universe to a planet that was full of dinosaurs.  Shirley plans to submit this for the new Write-On Hoosiers 2026 book.

SHARON PALMERI read her story “…And They Call It Puppy Love 1963-1965.  She wrote of a boy named Ray, their correspondence while he was in Vietnam, and their eventual distancing.  She describes the high school dance with their first kiss, and the decoration he plucked off the wall for her.  That decoration bore the name John, which had no meaning at the time, but was the name of the man she eventually married.  She also read a poem she wrote about Ray just before becoming engaged to John entitled “I Wonder Why.”

SHARON BUCKMAN continued reading from her book “Canopy of Leaves,” where Ann, realizing she would be locked in the dark cabin for several days, starts to plan her escape.  At the end of the three days, she receives a nice surprise, discovering that Tom wasn’t all bad.

TRENT D. PENDLEY read Chapter 4, On Lake Michigan, from his book “Lewry Lurie,” which follows Nathan Franklin and a group of civic, cultural, and historical leaders as they meet aboard a yacht on Lake Michigan in June 2011, to launch an initiative documenting Indiana’s LGBT heritage, modeled after the state’s earlier Jewish Heritage Survey.  Under Drew Levinthal’s leadership, the group develops a mission statement and begins compiling influential individuals, organizations, historic sites, businesses, works of art, and cultural landmarks that have shaped Indiana’s LGBT history.  Nathan contributes his extensive knowledge of literature, regional history, and Jewish culture, recalling early LGBT-themed novels, notable Hoosiers, forgotten local landmarks, unusual legal cases, and the groundbreaking documentary Trembling Before G-d.  As the cruise concludes, Nathan continues recording additional names and institutions, demonstrating his passion for preserving overlooked historical narratives and reinforcing one of the novel’s central themes: that cultural memory is safeguarded through careful research, collaboration, and the recognition of communities whose contributions have too often been forgotten.

RUTHANN GRACZYK read a poem entitled “Loving Sid Vicious,” which describes how a feral cat inadvertently stumbles into finding a loving home and caring humans by meowing for food at the right door.

KAREN LAUPER read ‘A New School,’ from her book “Can You Push Me to Heaven?” Timmy begins a new elementary school with a positive outcome.  The highlight was a Spring Musical that he participated in, bringing his mom to tears and a new understanding of how capable her young son had become.

The Meeting was adjourned at 8:22 PM.

Respectfully submitted:

Ruthann Graczyk