Enlightening Conclusions

Tonight I wrapped up the last things to do for my Write Around Portland workshop that concluded last week. I worked with a group of Veterans, including those with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) from the Vietnam, Korea and Iraq wars. They were funny, inspiring, challenging, rowdy, supportive, caring and amazing people. Each one of them contributed so much to the group with their encouragement of each other, with their stories and with their passion for writing.

I wish I could convey the strength and the power that these workshops evoke. But through my words alone, that is impossible. You have to be there. You have to hear them read. It will change you.

My friends I think get tired of me talking about Write Around Portland, but I can't help it. I believe in it as I believe in good parenting, God and good food. I get so excited that my words pile up on each other and fall into jumbled sentences. But that just means that every bit of my heart is bursting because of my passion for this cause.

One of the many cool aspects of the program is that after the writing workshop, we compile the participants' writing in an anthology (see picture above) and we publish it. Then we have a public reading, where the newly published writers read from the new anthology. Every participant has at least one piece published. How cool is that.

Lucky for you there is a reading coming up! My Veterans will be reading, too, so I hope you can come! Here are the details:

Thursday, August 30th, 6:30 - 8:30pm
First Congregational Church, 1126 SW Park at Madison in the downtown South Park Blocks

Free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome!
ADA-accessible.
Light snacks and drinks will be provided.
Anthologies will be available for purchase, $12 each.
We will be collecting donations of new writing journals for our upcoming workshops, and financial donations are also welcome.

Don't worry - I'll post a reminder about the reading when it gets closer, just so you don't forget!