The Room to Write

Have you heard about the podcast featuring local veterans? Kilroy was Hear is a locally produced podcast inspired by two prolific storytellers: Airforce Veteran Jim Cotter and Army Veteran and former Wakefield Police Officer Sam Stella who recorded the first episode one year ago in Wakefield Community Access Television Studios (WCAT) . The Room to Write recently presented a donation of $500 to WCAT Studios. The check was presented to Executive Director, Ian McDermott, in support of WCAT’s collaborative storytelling project with Wakefield Veterans Services Office. In the Fall of 2024, Cotter and Stella sat down in WCAT’s podcast studio to reflect on everything from military service to careers and life after service. Sharing their stories aloud, through podcast with a fellow veteran, fostered comradery in a format that was accessible to those visually impaired audience members. Something very special   happened in the studio that day with two veterans simply sitting down for a ...

Our Seniors and Veterans Programming year wraps up on Tuesday, May 21st with an Open Mic Session at the Wakefield Senior Center at 1:30pm and that is the last of what has been a fulfilling year for those who attended either the Wakefield Senior Center or the Stoneham Senior Center on any given Tuesday since programming began in September 2023.  We run our programming like an academic year with a break in the summer for our all-volunteer team of coordinators and facilitators, but we are already looking forward to the variety of programs we will be offering starting in the fall. There are too many things to include in this one blog post, but let's recap the last month or so.  April 9th: Guest speaker: Nancy Reily, owner of Lady with a Pen , talked about the art of calligraphy and design. In addition to teaching classes and giving lectures, Nancy ran an invitation and calligraphy shop in Wakefield for twenty years.  After her talk, participants had a chance to try their hand...

The Room to Write is hosting “Fountain Pens & Writing Culture,” a presentation by pen enthusiast David Watts, Jr.  On Tuesday, November 14th, David will give his talk at two locations— arrive early to receive a free fountain pen! The morning presentation will be from 10:30 am – 11:30 am at the Stoneham Senior Center , 136 Elm Street, Stoneham, MA 02180.  Register by calling 781-438-1157. The afternoon presentation will be from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm at the Wakefield Senior Center , 30 Converse Street, Wakefield, MA 01880. No registration required for this location. In his talk, David journeys into the history of fountain pens, users, and the importance of cursive writing among younger generations.  David is an active member of Boston Pen People, whose members range widely in interests and levels of knowledge - from rank beginners to acknowledged experts. While some like vintage pens and others like modern styles, they all share a deep appreciation for pens and writing cult...

Wakefield Senior Center: October 3rd : Kick-off for a new session, "Writing Talk.” This month, a TRtW instructor will lead a chat about “What Writing Is,” a five-page chapter from Stephen King's book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Also, if you enjoy this chapter and want to read the whole book, consider joining Whitelam Books on Thursday, October 26th at 7 pm for Writer’s Book Club. The group will be discussing King’s book this evening.  October 10th : Gather & Write session led by an instructor from TRtW. Come with your own ideas of what to write or be inspired by prompts provided by facilitators from The Room to Write.  You'll have time to write, as well as an opportunity to share your writing. October 17th : "Open Mic" session where each person will have about 3 minutes to share something they've written or read. October 24th : Gather & Write session led by an instructor from TRtW. October 31st : Monthly Critique Group where writers will read...

 As part of The Room to Write's Senior and Veterans programming , we have writing days that are more casual and unstructured. We call those writing days: Gather & Write . It's a way to make time for writing during the week that is less structured. An instructor shows up and offers a writing prompt or two or whatever to the group--something to get the wheels turning and the pen writing. Being the only "poet" in the group has propelled me to utilize the time I am at the writing prompt helm to offer up something poetic. Not everybody in the group that gathers is necessarily interested in writing poetry--per se--but, really, poems are simply words that sometimes appear in a flowing sundress, sometimes in a polo shirt, and other times squeezed into a tuxedo and bowtie.  For Valentine's Day, I decided to give the group a glimpse of a well-dressed poem. What form stood out to me as appropriate for the special day? The Sonnet, of course. When you think Sonnet, you oft...

In addition to those who were participating in the kick-off of a new Writers' Critique Group at the Wakefield Senior Center, representatives from The Room to Write , The Savings Bank and the Wakefield Senior Center gathered to celebrate The Savings Bank's funding support for The Room to Write's 2023 Senior & Veterans Programming.  The writing programs are approachable for those hesitant to write, yet fulfilling for those who already write but would like to grow in their writing experience. Workshops include the opportunity to get thoughts, memories, stories, history and personal experiences on paper with an invitation to share when comfortable. Participants are guided according to individual needs and goals. Present in the photo are Linda Malcolm, TRtW Coordinator of Senior & Veterans Programming; Kathleen Shine Cain, TRtW Instructor; Bob DiBella, TSB President & CEO; Emily Seward, TRtW Board of Directors; Colleen Getty, TRtW Founder, Director & Instructor...

Since a picture says a thousand words, I'm going to let the photos from this past year do most of the talking for this blog--which I am just getting to the "presses" by the skin of my teeth. The fact that I am writing this entry on the very last day of the very last month of this year sums up how this year felt: FAST! Every month swept in with plenty to do and plan to do during the next month, which usually had arrived already. It's hard to believe that The Room to Write had only just emerged out of a pandemic-encouraged-self-imposed 1-year sabbatical on September 1st of 2021. Since then, we have covered a lot of ground and more than made up for lost time.  We brought the wonderful and talented Linda Malcolm onboard to focus on our efforts to support seniors and veterans in the north of Boston community. That focus resulted in the building of some great relationships and programs from as nearby as Wakefield's Senior Center to as far away as Hamilton's Patton H...

On November 16th the Wakefield Senior Center was brimming with enthusiasm and conversation between two generations that don't always have an opportunity to connect and get to know each other in impactful ways. After several years on hiatus, Seniors to Seniors had made a welcome comeback! “Seniors to Seniors” is a cross-generational event that brings high school seniors and older adults in our community together to get to know each other.  The twenty adults and students who participated in the event had an opportunity to get to know each other over lunch. Each adult got to share some of their lifetime's supply of stories during an interview with the Wakefield High School student senior they were paired up with.   The event was so well received by both the adults and the students involved. Aside from the need to spread tables further apart in the future to make it easier to hear, the feedback was nothing but positivity. Adult participants really enjoyed the opportunity to ...

We are waist deep into our Senior and Veterans Writing Workshop series taking place at the Wakefield Senior Center and we are happy to say that fifteen participants showed up for that first introductory session and then returned even after being warned that poetry would be on the menu for the second session. Colleen Getty facilitated the Portrait Poetry workshop and we hear from a reliable source that she is very fond of the poetic form. She actually thinks it's fun and at the very least cathartic .  Participants were walked through a simple brainstorming process and then invited to put words down on paper. It was that simple. Getting what is in your head or heart down on paper where you can shape it in a tangible way using words. Sometimes you really have to hunt for the right word. Throw one out, pick another one up or pull something away so that a word that really works is allowed to shine and make a point. That's poetry. It's the whiskey of the writing world, if you w...

 

We are so grateful to the Town of Hamilton's Holly Erickson , Wenham Museum's Kristin Noon , and The Room to Write's Linda Malcolm for the generous collaborative spirit that made The Room to Write's July Writers and Illustrators Meet & Greet a success.  Pictured (left to right): Colleen Getty and Linda Malcolm, The Room to Write; Holly Erickson, Town of Hamilton's Patton Homestead; Kristin Noon, Wenham Museum; and Sandra Haupt and Robert Pushkar, writers in attendance. Twelve creative minds came out to gather, connect and enjoy an absolutely beautiful summer evening in the lovely and historically significant Patton Homestead. The inspirational space was made even more interesting by the invitation to take a glimpse into the Archives. Kristin Noon and Maj. Paul Cancelliere answered questions and pointed out highlights.  Learning about the Patton family's military history, vast equestrian knowledge and involvement, passion for sailing, as well as their connec...