Red and I visited the Mansion today with Maria and we came across a ring-tossing exercise in the activity room. I have some exciting news to report. The Art Show at the Mansion was a smash last week, I suggested to Julie Smith that we sponsor a Story-Telling Contest for the Mansion residents in June. She loved the idea.
Memories are an important thing for the residents, memories tie them to the past and the present, they connect them to everything they know, remember and love. People at the Mansion sometimes forget things, but they never forget the essential stories of their lives, they are always eager to tell them and share them.
Their stories form the threads of their lives, it is essential to preserve them. They are their stories, especially now..
Memories are part of identity, so I think a Story Telling Contest would be of special meaning. They have some wonderful stories to tell. This contest will not cost anything, and will not require any outside support. I will teach a writing and story-telling workshop to the residents in June, and perhaps find a couple of other writers to come and talk about their work.
At the end of the month, we’ll have a contest similar to the art show and the residents who participate will get to tell their stories. I know these stories will be wonderful and I’ll be glad to offer some writing support. They have everything they need to do this.
We’ll figure out some prices and categories.
One of the residents, a winner at the art show, came up to me in the hall today and squeezed my arm. “Did I win something last week?,” she asked me. Yes, you did, I said, you won a category in the art show, and got some books and gift certificates.
“Oh, I’m so glad,” she said. “I wanted to tell my daughter about it, but I thought it might be a dream. This is better.”
I have a new and updated resident list for the Mansion, people who want to receive your letters. For privacy reasons, we are using first names only: Bruce W., Allan, Sylvie, Jean G., John Z., Tim, Ben, John R., Alanna, Peggie, Ellen, Joan, Brenda, Connie, Alice, Madeline, Mary, Barbara, William, Brother Peter, Helen, Jane, Dottie, Anita, Richard, Gerry, Charlotte, Arthur, George.