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

 

May 25, 2023

 

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:  Beverly Stanislawski, Diane Stratton, Amy Brailey, Bob Neuman, Judy Neuman, Sharon Palmeri, Shirley Hinman, Al Koch, Audrey Warzyniak, Cindy  Horgash, and Kathy Flotz.

MINUTES Read and Approved, Bob Neuman, and Judy Neuman

NEWS: REMINDER…NEXT MEETNG ON TUESDAY, JUNE 13, DOWNSTAIRS.

 

 

READINGS:

JUDY NEUMAN asked “What’s Cooking” which was her nostalgia reflection of her physical and spiritual kitchen.

BEVERLY STANISLAWSKI read two poems about horses: “Ebony Beauty” which showed a Friesian stallion in all his glory, and “Pinto Pony” which told of a Pinto missing his freedom and finally escaping the enclosure.

BOB NEUMAN asked “Say, What?" which was a collection of some anecdotes from his life.

 SHIRLEY HINMAN presented “Full Blast,” a poem about her neighbor’s loud music which interrupted summer’s tranquility.

AL KOCH related “Gradation Thoughts” which he presented to his Senior students. They told about today, yesterday, and the next portion of life’s journey. So many moments, so many memories. Treasure the moments, savor the memories.

KATHY FLOTZ continued reading a part of The Journey. Michael Brenner is returning from a Russian Labor Camp and finds out from the Red Cross that his wife and boys have gone to  America with the help of Thomas Wilson.  He also accepts a job at a farm outside the city of Ulm, Germany.

CYNTHIA HORGASH read from her book, The Blue Hour, Chapter four, “Fishbowl,” continuing the story of a young boy in 1969, who recovers from an accident and has the power to put himself a trance to escape reality..

AUDREY WARZYNIAK brought her story about the problems of a new girl, Amy, on the bus, in school, and among other students including Candy, Tess, and Gabby. She has to deal with some of the usual ways to fit in to new situations.

SHARON PALMERI  continued reading from her memoirs. This selection was titled “Teaching 1989.” Sharon wrote of the teaching classes and teaching experience. The piece also touched on the retirement of her favorite professor, and preparing her daughter for college.

MEETNG ADJOURNED at 7 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Beverly Stanislawski