News and Perspective for the Amsterdam, NY Community

***Vendor spaces still available***
Join us again this year as we step up and walk for children against child abuse & neglect!
Individuals, families, businesses and organizations will come together to celebrate children by taking part in the 2018 Blue Ribbon Run – 1 Mile Walk , 5K or 10K Run For Children. This is an event designed to honor our kids and bring awareness to the horrible epidemic of Child Abuse & Awareness during National Child Abuse Awareness Month!
The event will be followed by a Family Fun Day with vendors, entertainment, food, concessions, bounce houses, children’s activities, face painting, caricature drawings, raffles and lots of fun for the kids and family!
#NYSWalkforChildren #NYSCF4Kids

We are co-sponsoring, with the Amsterdam Free Library, a spoken word program Called “Survivor Stories” in April 2018 and we would like your help to get the word out. We are holding submissions until April 2nd for those who have come through a traumatic event or situation and would like to speak about it. The following is the call for submissions. Special thanks to Tracey Klemish for inspiration.
COMMUNITY WRITING EVENT ~ DEADLINE: April 2nd, 2018
Call for Submissions

EVENT: Survivor Stories, Amsterdam Free Library, 28 Church Street, on Saturday, April 28, 2018 ~ 12:00 to 2:30 PM
This is a “Curated Reading”, which means, we are looking for writers to submit their work ahead of time, to be read by a small panel. Ten to twelve readers will be chosen to read at the event. Each reader will have 7-10 minutes to read their work.

WHERE TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK: Please email JUDITH PREST, jeprest810@gmail.com. Your work can be either in the body of the email or sent as an attachment. DEADLINE: April 2nd, 2018
Submission Guidelines:
We want to hear from people who have made the climb up out of the crater left in their lives by a traumatic event, who have wrestled with their demons and have learned how to live in new ways in the aftermath. We are looking for stories of resilience and redemption after devastating life events.

We want to hear the story of what happened, and what has emerged in the healing process, stories that reveal not only the shattering, but the rebuilding of life and the learning that has come out of a devastating life experience. In short, we are looking pieces that tell the story of the journey from loss or trauma to a “new normal” and what was learned along the way.

What we are looking for –Poetry and prose, work may be unpublished or previously published. We want work that is honest, reflective, and that has been written AFTER some processing/healing time – we want presenters to have had a chance to gain some perspective on the event(s) they have survived – enough to begin to see what they have learned as a result about themselves, about life, about their own capacity for healing and resilience. Please note: Each reader will have a maximum of 10 minutes at the podium, so we strongly suggest that you practice ahead of time with a friend and/or a timer!

 Poetry – we encourage a series of poems – each presenter will have seven to ten minutes to present his or her work. One can read quite a few poems in that time. Choose your most compelling poems.
 Prose – excerpts from journals, letters, personal essays or memoir. (With prose, the writer likely will need to excerpt from larger pieces to fit into the 10 minutee time frame.)

The Amsterdam Free Library and Foothills Art Council are collaborating for a special event during Poetry Month! On Saturday, April 28, 2018, from 12:00 to 2:30 PM, poets, and writers will be sharing their personal Survivor Stories.

If you would like to participate, there is a Call for Submissions and the deadline of April 2, 2018, is quickly approaching, please email JUDITH PREST, jeprest810@gmail.com. Your work can be either in the body of the email or sent as an attachment.

This is a “Curated Reading”, which means, we are looking for writers to submit their work ahead of time, to be read by a small panel. Ten to twelve readers will be chosen to read at the event. Each reader will have 7-10 minutes to read their work.

Submission Guidelines: We want to hear from people who have made the climb up out of the crater left in their lives by a traumatic event, who have wrestled with their demons and have learned how to live in new ways in the aftermath. Stories of resilience and redemption… what has emerged in the healing process. In short, the story of the journey from loss or trauma to a “new normal” and what was learned along the way.

What we are looking for –Poetry and prose, work may be unpublished or previously published. We want work that is honest, reflective, and that has been written AFTER some processing/healing time – we want presenters to have had a chance to gain some perspective on the event(s) they have survived – enough to begin to see what they have learned as a result about themselves, about life, about their own capacity for healing and resilience. Please note: Each reader will have a maximum of 10 minutes at the podium, so we strongly suggest that you practice ahead of time with a friend and/or a timer!