The May 11 issue of The Island Sun, the weeklypaper on Sanibel Island, Florida, carries verses from JC’s Line-a-Day poem at www.jcsulzenko.com (for mature readers). Using the tanka form, JC’s observations in “Spectacle” begin with watching a fox at the shore. The focus then moves to the destruction of sensitive habitats and species at risk, particularly birds such as the Whip-Poor-Will and Loggerhead Shrike, posed by plans to site almost 40 wind turbines, each up to 400 feet high, in an area which carries the international designation as an Important Birding Area (IBA.) Read these verses in Don Brown’s Poetic Voices column on page 38 at: www.islandsunnews.com/Read_the_Island_Sun.pdf.
Category: Archive
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Capital Parent profiles “What My Grandma Means to Say,” the video
In the March/April issue of Capital Parent Newspaper appears a great feature on the YouTube video of the pilot performance of “What My Grandma Means to Say.” The paper is available free at Ottawa-area newsstands and also can be read on-line at http://server14a.pressmart.net/capitalparent/index.aspx Go to page 6 to read about the play.
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JC’s interview about the new video on Channel 22, February 6
Daytime, a talk show on Channel 22 in Ottawa featured an interview with JC on Monday February 6. The show aired from 11AM-12 noon, at 5:00 PM and at 11: 00 PM. Here’s the link to the interview: http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=237&rid=4&gid=90689. The co-hosts explored with JC how the new video of a performance of the play “What My Grandma Means to Say” by high school students for elementary school-aged children enables both age groups to discuss Alzheimer’s disease. To screen the new video of the play, see below.
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One-hour Internet Radio Feature on “What My Grandma Means to Say” January 17, 1:00 p.m (EST)
On Tuesday, January 17, at 1:00 p.m. (EST) Dr. Gordon Atherley from Toronto interviewed JC to learn how “What My Grandma Means to Say”, the play and the storybook, can enable family discussions about Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia. Here is the link to the broadcast on VoiceAmerica:
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/58907/what-my-grandma-means-to-say.Dr. Atherley invited JC to come on his program after reading one of her articles in the national media about the importance of including children in family discussions when someone in that family is living with Alzheimer’s disease. So often, families find it very difficult to speak among themselves about what is happening to someone about whom they care. So often, the need of children to understand their place in such a situation is not given attention by health care providers.
The discussion was far-ranging and included the important perspective offered by Kristen Irvine, a professional personal care worker who is very involved in supporting her own grandmother who is living with Alzheimer’s disease.
Having education programs in schools that focus on Alzheimer’s and the use of “What My Grandma Means to Say” in training health care providers were some of the issues which arose during the discussion.
At the site for the program is an e-mail address for comments on the broadcast which Dr. Atherley welcomes.
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Canadian Authors Association Panel, January 10
JC participated in a panel on January 10 that focussed on marketing and promotion but gave her the chance to talk about how she came to write “What My Grandma Means to Say.” Here is the link to executive member Arlene Smith’s blog on what struck her about JC’s comments. www.scienceandstory.wordpress.com
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CAA Evening Panel: Tuesday, January 10, 2012
JC joins Sharyn Heagle, President, Ottawa Branch of the Canadian Authors Association, Emily-Jane Hills Orford and Dave Mullington for a ‘get your hands dirty’ panel: The Do’s and Don’ts of Marketing your work.
After brief presentations from each panellist, Sharyn will broker a discussion among them about issues they have addressed — what works and what doesn’t — in promoting what they have written. A question and answer session with audience participation will follow.
A great way to get and share tips.
In the auditorium, Main Branch, Ottawa Public Library (See the CAA, Ottawa Branch, website for details.)
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Season’s Greetings
A time for reflection about 2011 and wishes from JC for a happy New Year, one filled with poetry, creativity, hope and good health.
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The Board of The Glebe Centre Welcomed JC’s Reading of “What My Grandma Means to Say”
JC was pleased to accept the invitation Lawrence Grant, Executive Director of The Glebe Centre, extended on behalf of the organization’s Board of Directors, to give a dramatic reading of the play on November 28.
JC confirmed to the Board how the Glebe Centre partnered on “What My Grandma Means to Say” from when it was first being test-read in 2009, through the development of a Discussion Guide for teachers, the premiere of the play at the Ottawa International Writers Festival in 2009 and the publication of the storybook adaptation in the spring of 2011. She expressed her particular gratitude to Jen Dare, Pat Goyeche and Karen Joynt for their support throughout the evolution of the project. Most recently Abbotsford hosted a tea for healthcare professionals and for educators to demonstrate how the book and the play can enable families and children discuss Alzheimer’s disease and related forms of dementia and can help them develop strategies to support someone they know who is living with such diseases.
Members of the Board were touched by the play and posed a number of questions after the presentation. One Board member asked whether JC had thought of writing about what happens as Alzheimer’s disease progresses, with a focus on the end of life. JC had not considered that but would.
She advised the board that junior students at her recent reading at Hopewell Avenue Public School had encouraged her to write about other diseases. When JC asked which ones they thought she should target, here were some of their suggestions: diabetes, cancer and ALS. The fact that these children between the ages of 8 and 12 already have such illnesses on their radar screens proved to JC how important it is for families to include children in conversations when such situations affect the life of a family.
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Welcome Winter Delights a Sell-out Crowd on November 26
A full house turned out for the fourth annual reading of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas at Glebe-St. James United Church on Saturday, November 26! Many members of the audience spoke to JC after the performance with wonderful comments and pleas that the tradition of presenting this unique story to herald the holiday season continue for many years to come.
Rob Clipperton returned as the gifted storyteller. At this performance, Rob was surrounded by student actors and singers of the Hopewell Avenue Public School Junior Choir. Dressed in PJs and slippers, these students from Grades 4,5 and 6 had speaking parts from the story and sang seasonal songs that picked up on the themes of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.” The program began with an evocative organ solo by Robert Palmai, Minister of Music at Glebe-St. James which Marya Woyiwada, Soprano, followed with an aria from Die Fledermaus. Canterbury High School’s Vocum, women in the vocal music program at Arts Canterbury, who were directed by James Caswell, left the audience spellbound with their music.
JC thanked the talented performers and musicians for lending their presence to the show, Glebe-St. James United Church for hosting Welcome Winter, volunteers who assisted at the event and Compact Music for advance ticket sales.
Net proceeds (over $ 2300) from the one-hour of performance, presented by JC and Allison W0yiwada, benefit Reach Canada (www.reach.ca) this year.
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Capital Parent Newspaper Features JC’s Article in October/November Issue
Just noted: Please go to http://server14a.pressmart.net/capitalparent/index.aspx to find JC’s article, “Children have a place in the Alzheimer’s picture.”