August 2007

NSN Conference in St. Louis

"Storytelling:

Reflecting Our Past,

Creating Your Future”

St. Louis, MO July 12- 15, 2007

The Conference is now but memory. But, oh, how it will sustain us for the coming year. It was, as my Great Aunt Josie would say, "Grand...simply grand." I will just touch on some of my favorites parts. Bobby Norfolk led a history of St. Louis music starting with Gospel singing and ending with Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good." The tellers were in the aisles dancing! It was a sight to behold. Another inspiring evening was the awards ceremony. In the past it has been dreadfully dull, but this year, under the tutelage of Caron Birch, it simply sparkled. She evoked those who have gone before and had Bill Harley and others compose some songs that had us up and applauding and singing and swaying...well, you had to be there. Yes the keynotes and the workshops I attended were all top notch, too.
Ron and I worked on the Regional Concert. Ron Adams acted as host...and didn't he look handsome!! When he finished introducing me as the emcee, I received one of the warmest applauses, ever! Thank you, Ron. We were off and running as our own Phyllis Hostmeyer had the audience clipping and clippity-clopping in their seats. It was the perfect story to start the evening. I thought all the tellers were wonderful. At the end they received a much deserved standing ovation.
I was also at the youth concert and Emily did a fine telling of Clever Manka. All the kids did a great job. Mary Lu Bretch also worked with a young man who recently graduated from Belleville East. He was such a natural. I hope he pursues storytelling! Devon, unfortunately, was unable to attend.
Word from Lucy Grondahl was that her workshop went just great. Congrats, Lucy! NSN called me a few days before the workshop and asked Marilyn Kinsella to sub for someone who couldn't be there. She only had about 10 in her group, but they did go away with a new study guide that they can access from her website. You can see their work by clicking HERE.
As I walked through the long halls of the beautiful Westport Chalet, I kept seeing our Riverwind members busily working to make the conference a success. Thanks to Sharon Thompson, Roger Rose, Warren Wyman, Joy McLaughlin, Phyllis Hostmeyer, Marion Nichols, Lynn Beetner, and Mary Garrett. (hope I didn't miss anyone!)

But, the biggest "Hoo-hah!" goes to Mary Lu Bretsch. She was a phenomenal force in the planning and executing of the conference. She made Riverwind proud. She and others spent countless...countless hours in meetings, phone calls, and emails to pull this all together. Congratulations Mary Lu...you represented Riverwind with great aplomb!
I think Teddy Roosevelt had another victory in mind when he wrote this, but I think it applies to Mary Lu and those in Riverwind who gave their time and talents to make the conference a "glorious triumph."

"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

Press close, bare-bosomed Night! Press close, magnetic, nourishing Night!
Night of south winds! Night of the large, few stars!
Still, nodding Night! Mad, naked, Summer Night!
~Walt Whitman

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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