Celebrating the Stories of Windsor

April, 2025 - PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORIES WITH US!

Here at the Windsor Public Library, we are at an especially opportune time to create connections with Celebrating the Stories of Windsor (CSW) – a program made possible by a grant from the Vermont Arts Council. The project will culminate in June 2025 with an anthology and a public reading.

Please consider submitting a story, reflection, memory or poem to the project. We want to celebrate your experiences, your voice and your creativity.

Would you like some help getting your story or thoughts in writing? We have a team of volunteers to help. Contact Windsor Library Director Barbara Ball at librarian@windsorlibrary.org

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

From Whom?
People who have lived and/or worked in Windsor, Vermont, for some portion of their
lives, past or present. Any age, including children.

Limits
10 pieces per writer/teller; three or fewer pages per piece (2,000-word limit).
3-6 minutes for a story you will tell at the final event. Submit a brief synopsis by
submission deadline..

How to Submit?
Email copies to librarian@windsorlibrary.org, or deliver to Windsor Library no later than May 1, 2025. You must sign the permission form allowing us to use your work.

Contact for submissions
Barbara Ball, Director, Windsor Public Library, 43 State Street, Windsor, VT 05089
802-674-2556, librarian@windsorlibrary.org

Here is a permission form that should accompany all stories

Here is a handout of exercises that can help someone to share a story with you.

We can't wait to see/hear your stories!

January 31, 2025 - Press Release

Celebrating the Stories of Windsor
Connecting with community is more important than ever. In Windsor, we are lucky to have a diverse, engaged, creative community with many churches, clubs, rec center, our library (!!!) and other places to meet others and develop relationships.

Here at the Windsor Public Library, we are at an especially opportune time to create connections with Celebrating the Stories of Windsor (CSW) – a program made possible by a grant from the Vermont Arts Council.

During Windsor’s 250th anniversary celebration several years ago, local photographers took 250 pictures of Windsor residents and published a wonderful book: 250 Years/250 People: Windsor, VT. CSW continues this theme by reaching out for the many stories of the people who live or lived in our town.

CSW began in October with a fun-filled kick-off event led by performance artists Marv Klassen-Landis, Ham Gillett, and Michael Zerphy. (Watch the recording provided by Windsor On Air (link above) if you missed it!) Since then, we had 4 training workshops led by artist Marv Klassen-Landis: Writing for Personal Expression and Healing, Storytelling and Story Writing, Poetry Can Be Fun and Interviewing Skills. These workshops enabled participants to not only tell and write up their own stories, but also to reach out to others for their stories as well. If you missed these workshops, handouts are available at the library.

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO PARTICIPATE IN CSW! You can both share your own stories with us and interview others to get their stories as well!

Interviewing Another Windsorite (or Past Windsorite)
Participants now interview others for their stories. The interviewee(s) could be someone who is already connected with the interviewer (a friend or family member), or someone new. If it is someone new, perhaps it could be a Windsor resident who is more isolated. Who might be disabled or elderly and perhaps would never participate in a program like this on their own. Interviews can entail two or more visits to build a relationship, hear and record their stories, make sure the interviewer has accurately captured the story, and to give the interviewee a written copy. Upon request, Artist Marv Klassen-Landis will accompany each interviewer on at least one visit to their interviewee.

After the workshops and interviews, we will publish an anthology of stories for all participants and host a final joyful celebratory event on Monday, June 16th, 6:30PM at the Windsor Welcome Center. This event will be led by artist Marv Klassen-Landis and be recorded by Windsor On Air. All participants will be encouraged to share their stories and the stories of the folks they have interviewed during this celebration. Please join us!

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August 23, 2024 - Press Release

Windsor Public Library receives Vermont Arts Council Arts Project Grant to Celebrate Windsor’s Stories

The Windsor Public Library is thrilled to announce that we are the recipient of a $4,000 Vermont Arts Council Arts Project Grant for Celebrating the Stories of Windsor (CSW.) CSW will include workshops on writing, storytelling, poetry and interviewing skills, and will enable participants to not only tell and write up their own narratives, but also to reach out to others to glean their stories as well.

During Windsor’s 250th anniversary celebration several years ago, local photographers took 250 pictures of Windsor residents and published a wonderful book: 250 Years/250 People: Windsor, VT. CSW will continue this theme by reaching out for the many stories of the people who live in our town.

CSW will begin with a fun-filled kick-off event October 7th at 6:30PM at the Windsor Welcome Center led by performance artists Marv Klassen-Landis, Ham Gillett, and Michael Zerphy. (Artists’ bios can be found below.) This celebration will include humor, songs, and stories, and is not to be missed. Over the next few months, four training workshops will be held at the Windsor Library, led by Marv Klassen-Landis. Workshops will will include:

Monday, November 4th, 6:30PM: Writing for Personal Expression and Healing

Participants will gain insight into using writing to express themselves and record life events. They will learn to use journaling as a tool for healing and growth. They will get tips on -- and practice -- helping others use these techniques.

Monday, November 18th, 6:30PM: Storytelling and Story Writing

Participants will gain comfort in telling their stories. They will receive tips on framing a story and telling it in front of an audience. Tips will include:

- Finding the story in the story – the heart of the story, the beginning, middle and end

- “Editing” your story

- Projecting, and dealing with nervousness

- Using repetition and facial expression to engage your audience

Participants will learn to -- and be able to practice -- sharing these techniques.

Monday, January 6th, 6:30PM: Poetry Can Be Fun

Participants will be shown the joy of poetry, and will see how poetry can be used to engage an interviewee. Participants will practice helping others enjoy poetry games, exercises and forms. Led by artist Marv Klassen-Landis.

Monday, February 10th, 6:30PM: Interview Skills Training

Participants will be trained to interview another, one-on-one, to hear and reflect their stories. Topics covered include:

- Making your interviewee comfortable/getting them talking.

- Using open-ended questions.

- Recording their stories.

Participants will be paired up to practice interviewing one another.
Led by artist Marv Klassen-Landis.

Interviewing Another Windsorite (or Past Windsorite)
After completing these workshops, participants will be matched with a community member to interview. The interviewee could be someone who is already connected with the interviewer (a friend or family member), or someone new. Interviews will entail two or more visits to build a relationship, hear and record their stories, make sure the interviewer has accurately captured the story, and to give the interviewee a written copy. Artist Marv Klassen-Landis will accompany each interviewer on at least one visit to their interviewee.

Therefore, CSW will have two types* of participants: interviewers and interviewees, and will create a stronger sense of connection and belonging for folks in both categories.

Interviewers will have the opportunity to connect with other interviewers and with the artist(s) at each CSW event: the kick-off event, the four workshops, and the final celebration. Interviewers will gain skills together and -- through their participation -- gain insight into Windsor, its history and its inhabitants, and gain a deeper feeling of belonging through these experiences. Interviewers will also reach out and build a connection with their interviewee(s).

Some Interviewees will be Windsor residents who may never have come to a library event. They are folks who may be quite isolated and -- without this program -- might not have the opportunity to share their stories. They are folks who may be elderly or disabled, or in some way shut off from the community. Being part of CSW will hopefully increase their sense of connection, help them understand that their story is an important story of Windsor, and increase their sense of belonging to this community.

* There is a remaining type of participant: folks who attend some or all of the workshops on writing and storytelling, but just for their own experience or legacy projects, and not with the intention of interviewing someone else. These participants are welcome to attend, but these individuals aren't the focus of CSW.

Artists:

Marv Klassen-Landis is a poet and storyteller who believes in the power of creative expression for healing and discovery. A Vermont Arts Council roster artist and a Children's Literacy Foundation presenter, he also was the founding creative writer in Dartmouth Health's arts program. He collaborated with Michael Zerphy in co-creating and touring Children's Voices.

Michael Zerphy is a storyteller, clown, poet, musician, banjo jokester and mirth instigator. His inventive and diverse performances have captured audiences of all ages across the US and Europe for decades. His shows include Foolz Journey, Zany Acts and Codger!

Ham Gillett's representative roles during his 15 years as a professional actor include Captain Hook in Peter Pan, Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha, Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night, and Reverend Hale in The Crucible. Locally, he performs with We the People Theater and Bel Canto Chamber Singers. He starred in Love Letters at Pentangle, and his reading of "A Child's Christmas in Wales" has been a perennial favorite in Woodstock, Vermont for 23 years.