Category Archives: What’s Happening

Celebrate WPPL’s 125th with Tim Dorsey!

The Winter Park Public Library has a special event planned in celebration of their 125th Anniversary:

 

Author Luncheon with Mystery Writer Tim Dorsey
    

New York Times Bestselling mystery/thriller writer Tim Dorsey will entertain and enlighten as he regales us with tales about bringing to life his trademark character Serge Storms, star of 12 previous novels and a thirteenth due in January 2011.

A delicious lunch will be provided by the chefs at the Interlachen Country Club.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 22; 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Winter Park Interlachen Country Club

TICKETS: $57.50 — includes lunch and a signed copy of Dorsey’s most recent novel, Gator-A-Go-Go — available August 18 at www.wppl.org/timdorsey at at the Library. Corporate tables of 10 are available for $650 and include preferred seating, signage and recognition at event.

Dorsey will be available after the program to personalize books and sign additional copies. All proceeds benefit the Winter Park Public Library.

Contact Mary Gail Coffee at mgcoffee@wppl.org or 407-623-3486 for more information.

Golata reads at Tomoka Poet’s Open Mic

Tomoka Poet’s Open Mic
Java Jungle
4606 Clyde Morris Blvd. Port Orange, FL  32129 386-760-8969
Featuring Russ Golata
Hosted By B.J Alligood
August 20  7PM

Russ Golata – a Buffalo New York native, believes poetry is life, the rest is just minor details. His work has been published widely in print and on the web. Hosts 1st Tuesdays @ the Tatame Lounge, and 3rd Wednesdays @ Austins Coffee and Film in Orlando. His latest book, Fragments of Noise, is available.

Maitland Poets & Writers Readings

Event: Maitland Poets & Writers Readings

Location: Lake Lily Park

840 Lake Lily Drive

Maitland , FL 32751

Website: 

http://www.pamaitland.org/poetswriters

When: two Sundays a month during the Maitland Farmer’s Market; other PAM special events

Director/Organizer: Vanessa Blakeslee, 407-310-2464 or vblakeslee@gmail.com

Maitland Poets & Writers Reading Series runs on two Sundays a month at Lake Lily Park in Maitland, plus other special events in which the Performing Arts of Maitland takes part. The event has two available time slots (11 a.m. and noon) for featured writers and poets to read from their work. The Performing Arts of Maitland sponsors local songwriters, singers and musicians every Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm at the Maitland Farmer’s Market, and the Maitland Poets & Writers Readings take place between the music acts.

On the Sundays in which Maitland Poets & Writers hosts readings in Lake Lily Park, we also offer creative writing workshops (limited to 12 participants) from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. at the Cottage at Lake Lily. The workshops are led by your reading host and MPW Director, Vanessa Blakeslee, and follow the Amherst Writers & Artists™ method. Please contact Vanessa for information on how to register for a workshop. No fee to attend, but PAM asks workshop participants to make a donation. Maitland Poets & Writers Workshop proceeds solely benefit Maitland Poets & Writers and enable Performing Arts of Maitland to continue to bring literary opportunities to the community.

Pre-registration for Sunday workshops is required – come join the fun!

Upcoming Featured Readers:

Sept. 5th  

11 a.m. – Our 2010-2011 Reading Series kicks off with Kerouac House Writer-in-Residence, Mona Washington

 

Noon-Ted Greenberg

Sept. 19th

11 a.m. Peggy Miller

Noon-Kathryn DiBernardo

Oct. 10th

11 a.m. – Gene Albamonte

Noon-Ryan Tilley

Oct. 24th

11 a.m.-Liz Langley

Noon-Linda Dunlap

Nov. 7th

11 a.m.-Lisa Roney

Noon-Terry Thaxton

Also, check out the new film highlighting our events at: http://www.pamaitland.org/poetswriters

Vanessa Blakeslee is a graduate of the MFA in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. In 2009 she received grants and fellowships from the United Arts of Central Florida, the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow. Her short fiction is forthcoming in The Bellingham Review, The Saranac Review, and Harpur Palate. In 2010 her poetry will appear in The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, Southern Poetry Review, and Hiram Poetry Review, among others. She is currently at work on a novel.

Please visit www.vanessablakeslee.com for more information.

Adult Literacy League and BB&T host Open House

Adult Literacy League and BB&T host Open House to celebrate

International Literacy Day on September 8, 2010

For more than 42 years, the Adult Literacy League (www.adultliteracyleague.org) has helped thousands of Central Florida adults gain employment and economic self-sufficiency and reach personal goals by providing free instruction and tutoring in reading, writing, and overall adult education. 

The League provides classes and one-to-one tutoring for adults by trained volunteers.  Tutoring is the most effective way to teach an adult to read, and currently 400+ adults are being tutored by volunteers.    

However, more than 100 men and women are on the waiting list for a literacy tutor, so more volunteer literacy tutors are desperately needed.

If you’ve ever wondered what it is like to tutor an adult in reading or English language literacy, make plans to attend the Adult Literacy League’s Open House on International Literacy Day, September 8, 2010 between 4 and 7 p.m.   The League is located at 345 W. Michigan Street, Suite 100, Orlando, FL  32806.

Guests will learn about:  1) volunteering for literacy, 2) services offered by the Adult Literacy League and 3) how literacy instruction literally changes lives and improves our community.  Current tutors and students will be on hand to answer questions.

This free event is sponsored by BB&T Bank and is open to the general public.   Refreshments will be served.   To register to attend, please call 407-422-1540 or send an email to:  info@adultliteracyleague.org

One in five Central Floridians reads at a fifth grade level or below.  Reading at this level is not sufficient to pass the GED test.  65% of all prison inmates read below a fifth grade level.  People who lack literacy skills are unable to keep a job with family-sustaining income, which makes them dependent on public assistance.  

Operating six days a week and serving Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, the Adult Literacy League offers the only proven road out of poverty, crime and unemployment:  improved education.    Currently the agency serves more than 1,000 adults with literacy instruction and reaches more than 350 low-income, pre-school children with its Read to Me! family literacy program.