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 ...

We are always glad when Mother Nature cooperates (mostly:) and we are all able to enjoy a beautiful day by Lake Q for the annual Festival by the Lake, which took place on Saturday, June 8th this year!  With five local authors, three typewriters and two guest poets under our tent, there was something for everybody. Our guest authors were Susan Sabbatelli, Regina Mouradian, Sally Chetwynd, Karin Gertsch, and Christine Ricci-McNamee. Three children's authors and three adult authors (only possible with five authors because the talented Karin Gertsch writes for kids and adults!  A new feature at our tent this year was  the very popular and really fun poetry on demand fundraiser where passersby were able to talk briefly with our Poet for Hire.  Colleen Getty kicked it off at the beginning of the day, but the real stars waxing poetic for most of the day were Paul Angelosanto and Kerri Bonner Leonard pictured below. Our poets raised just over $100 for TRtW's programming...

We had so much fun bringing back our Young Writers and Illustrators Meet, Greet & Create event from its post-pandemic hibernation on Tuesday, March 12th at the Boys & Girls Club of Wakefield.  The authors who participated were,  in alphabetical order, are: Janet Costa Bates ( Rica Baptista: Llamas, Iguanas, and My Very Best Friend ), Rebecca Caprara ( Spin ), Carol Gordon Ekster ( Trucker Kid ), Betsy Ellor ( My Dog is  NOT  a Scientist ), Fred Gracely ( Misfit’s Magic ), Samantha Lewis ( Nature Activity Book for Little Ones ), Kari Percival ( How to Say Hello to a Worm ), Shawn M. Peters ( The Unforgettable Logan Foster  Book #1), Lisa Stringfellow ( Comb of Wishes ), Susan Tan ( My Kingdom of Darkness : A Branches Book, Pets Rule! #1), Dirk Tiede ( Paradigm Shift ) and Kip Wilson ( One Last Shot ). We were eager to welcome  TWELVE  local authors and give away over  100 BOOKS for FREE  to all ages, preschool to h...

The Room to Write's Founder & Director, Colleen Getty, recently accepted a donation from the Wakefield Co-operative Bank raised through their staff Jeans Day! What a great way to end the month of March as we look forward to the spring season. We are so grateful for financial support from the communities we serve as they help us fulfill our mission to connect and support writers of all ages, abilities and means by providing the physical space and structured support individuals need in order to express themselves more effectively for academic, professional and creative purposes. Pictured with Colleen are Mohammed Bezzat, VP, Business Development Officer and Rosa Bertolone, AVP, Main Office Branch Manager Wakefield Co-operative Bank.

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...