Treasured Objects

Our first HEARTH was held in October, 2015.  Our tellers included:
Anna Elkins who spoke about being a single woman in Paris.  She met up with a gypsy who sold her a "gold" ring.  The ring made her re-evaluate her life and where she would go in the future.  Her visual images of the bridges with locks in Paris were stunning.  
Ferron Mayberry spoke about his best friend.  Someone he mined gold with in Oregon.  His treasure was his friends ashes.  Not gold, not silver, not any material wealth - but the ashes of a "mate" who he had spent so much time with.
Dawn Welch told the story of her advancement into the male world of competitive running.  Her story revolved around a trophy that she won at a race around Crater Lake.  Her treasured object was a tin cup with a marketing slogan from a local hardware store.
Linda Hugle's treasured object was a CD of her mother's voice.  She told about time spent with her mother when she was old enough to engage with her highly intelligent mom, only to have her Mother die shortly after that teenage year.  
Robert Trotttmann is a master embroiderer and brought some of his finery to share.  His style of embroidery is unique and rare.  Not only because some of the threads are gold and silver but because the intricate work is priceless.  
Rick Terwilliger's story was about a trip to India to visit an asram and the experience he had sharing a bit of bread with others in the room.  The bread was given to him by the leader and holy man.  His memory included feeding a crowd with a tiny bit of food.  

Our musicians included Kevin Widdison - leading the evening with Woody Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land".  Next we heard Gordon Schmeider who plays a singing saw.  After intermission we heard from a 12 year old guitar player, Austin Schindler accompanied by his mother Kelley.  Austin learned to play from his grandfather so all of his songs are from the 60s because that's all grandpa knows.  At the end, Kevin Widdison led us all in rousing choruses of "Good Night Irene."  

We were able to donate over $800 to our non-profit beneficiary - The Josephine Community Libraries.
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It was an evening remembered by all.  A good first start to a wonderful series of events. 

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