CNY Branch Pen Women Receive Central New York Arts Community Grant

CNY Branch Pen Women Vanessa Johnson and Karen Hempson recently wrote a grant and heard that the CNY Branch was awarded almost $5000 from The Central New York Arts Community Grant! The grant title, "Teaching Poetry, Swapping Memories," is a project designed to reach out to area children to enable them to enjoy and compose poetry. This idea was a brainchild of CNY Branch President, Judy McGinn.

Five selected Syracuse facilities, after-school programs for kids and Westcott for the elderly will participate, thanks to Vanessa Johnson's outreach. The project facilitators hope to reach out to about 225 participants, 125 will be area youth.

"Teaching Poetry, Swapping Memories" will kick off at the February meeting of the CNY Branch with poet Taylor Mali. Seven CNY Branch Pen Women will each teach a 1-hour Zoom workshop on poetry to participants: Janine DeBaise, Nancy Dafoe, Janet Fagal, Mary Gardner, Vanessa Johnson, Judy McGinn, and Georgia Popoff. Poetry workshop participants will be given 2 months to create a poem.

Workshop participants will recite their poetry to Pen Women, parents, and other interested parties (via Zoom). The readings will take place on two late afternoons in April 2022.

The CNY Branch members are thrilled that we have the opportunity to share expertise, give back to our community, and put Pen Women in the news.

Karen Hempson is shown in the photo reading at the Schweinfurth Art Center in Auburn.