2008 - 2009 Social Events & Gatherings
with the Writers' Coop
Coop AGM and Sisters' Ink chapbook launch
At the Coop's Annual General Meeting March 26, over 20 members reviewed the Coop’s excellent 2008-09 year and elected a new board. Joining incumbents Joanne Blythe, Gary Chappell, Peter Jonker, Jo Oliver, Jeff Smith, Darla Tenold and Jim Weseen are new board members Cindy Clarke, Kristina Komendant, Megha Morganfield, Carrie Prefontaine and Janice Salkeld. You can read AGM minutes and reports here.
Then, after a snack break, the audience grew to over 30 as members of writers’ group Sisters’ Ink launched their new chapbook, Out of Our Depth. Members of the collective read from works-in-progress, signed sale copies of their book, and generally had a good time along with the rest of us. Sisters’ Ink writers include Belinda Betker, Tammy Booth Pederson, Dianne Miller, Linda Richards, Darla Tenold, Lori Ulrich, and Wendy Weseen (who was unable to be present). Here they are:
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Dianne Miller |
MCs Belinda Betker |
Darla Tenold |
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Tammy Booth |
The Chapbook |
Lori Ulrich |
Coop Winter Party: Duelling Poets Bang-Bang
Burning off the
February Blues with
a Streaming Steaming Orgy of Poetry
"Love goes by haps; some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps."
≈ Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing
The spirit of Valentine’s Day was definitely abroad among the 30 enthusiastic partiers who listened, applauded, drank Baileys punch, ate Calories snacks, and generally enjoyed each other's company at the Coop's Winter Party February 19 at The Refinery. Encouraged and guided by MC John Barton, fourteen poets ventured forth in turn to duel one-on-one and be judged by the applause meter. The designated theme, “Sweet Patooties — The pleasure and pain of courtship, love and co-habitation” brought forth a great variety of feelings, from melancholy to raunchy and much else besides.
Participants included Christina Breker, Belinda Betker, Donald B. Campbell, Gary Chappell, Wes Funk, Peter Jonker, Cathy Langdon, Anastasia McPartlin, Dianne Miller, Megha Morganfield, Jo Oliver, Carrie Ann Schemenauer, Jim Weseen and, to make an even number, John Barton.
From the seven first-round winners, judges Darla Tenold and Jeff Smith selected the two finalists, Donald B. Campbell and Dianne Miller. Thunderous applause decreed Dianne Miller to be the last poet left standing, and thus she took home first prize, a musical flying pig (no symbolism intended).
Thanks go to Peter, Amy Jo, and Jo for planning and organizing the event, to the poets who duelled so bravely, and to the audience who celebrated the victories and commiserated in the defeats. Pictures below and ===>
Last two standing:
Donald B. Campbell and
ultimate victor Dianne Miller
First Open Mike of the Season
On September 11, 2008, over thirty Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the first event of the Coop's 2008-2009 season, the Coop's monthly Open Mike-- this year co-sponsored with the Frances Morrison Library.
Ten performers treated the audience to a great variety of work, though mostly poetry-- from romance to rap. Readers included Drew Kirk, Belinda Betker, Donald B. Campbell, Wes Funk, Erica Jen, Chander Behl, Jaime Pinilla (new), Gary Chappell, Colton Scragg (new), and FML Writer in Residence John Barton.
Jo Oliver and Edda Ryan organized the event in co-operation with the Library's Dana Jacobs. Edda Ryan acted as the MC for the evening.
Our thanks go to the performers, the audience, and the Library.
Some pictures from the evening are below as well as over here ===>
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Chander Behl |
Gary Chappell |
Donald B. Campbell |
Second Open Mike
On October 9, 2008, over twenty Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the Coop's monthly Open Mike (really, an open non-mike until we got the PA system working halfway through the evening.)
Seven readers delivered a variety of prose, poetry and non-fiction. Readers included Peter Jonker, Marion Mutala (new), Jessica Weightman (new), Jaime Pinilla, Gary Chappell, Dean Whyte (new), and Sue Clarke (new).
Jo Oliver and Edda Ryan organized the event, and Jo Oliver acted as the MC for the evening.
Our thanks go to the performers, the audience, and the Library.
Some pictures from the evening are below as well as over here ===>
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Jaime Pinilla |
Dean Whyte |
Jessica Weightman |
Third Open Mike
On November 13, 2008, twenty Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the Coop's monthly Open Mike.
Seven performers delivered a variety of prose, poetry and music. They included Art Battiste, Jaime Pinilla, Counce Brampton (new), Megha Morganfield (new), Gary Chappell, Peter Jonker, and Jo Oliver. A lively discussion about writers' groups followed the readings.
Jo Oliver and Edda Ryan organized the event, and Jo Oliver acted as the MC for the evening and brought the cookies.
Our thanks go to the performers, the audience, the Library, and Jo.
Some pictures from the evening are below as well as over here ===>
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Art Battiste |
Megha Morganfield |
Counce Brampton |
Fourth Open Mike
December 11, 2008 found twenty Coop members, family and friends together in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the Coop's monthly Open Mike.
Readers of poetry included Erica Jen, Megha Morganfield, Gary Chappell, Jaime Pinilla, and Doug Purcell (new), while Andrew Dziadyk (new) and Peter Jonker read from prose works. Christina Breker won the draw for a seasonally-themed (and Coop-themed) door prize.
Jo Oliver and Edda Ryan organized the event, and Jo Oliver once again acted as the MC for the evening and brought the cookies.
Some pictures from the evening are below as well as over here ===>
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Erica Jen |
Doug Purcell |
Fifth Open Mike
The Coop's January 8, 2009 Open Mike blew away all previous records! Close to 40 enthusiastic and appreciative audience members turned out to enjoy, count 'em, eleven readers. Novel excerpts, romance, stories, poetry, literary nonfiction-- it was all there, and we still had enough time to enjoy each other's company, and coffee and cookies as well.
New readers (three of whom promptly joined the Coop, and the rest of whom are already members) included George Bitz, Carol Kavanagh, Carrie Ann Schemenauer, Gayle Smith, Rita Bouvier, Dianne Miller and Anastasia McPartlin. Reading for the first time this season was Wendy Weseen. Returning readers were Megha Morganfield, Peter Jonker, and Counce Brampton.
Once again, Jo Oliver MC'd the program and provided the cookies, and the Saskatoon Public Library (thanks, Dana Jacobs) provided the space and the coffee. Some pictures can be seen below and over here ===>
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Dianne Miller |
Gayle Smith |
Carol Kavanagh |
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Anastasia McPartlin |
Carrie Ann |
Wendy Weseen |
Sixth Open Mike, and a talk on self-publishing
On February 12, 2009, twenty Coop members, family and friends got together in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the Coop's monthly Open Mike. Following the readings, 13 attendees stayed for an informative presentation on self-publishing by Wes Funk. ===>
Seven readers shared a variety of prose and poetry. Christina Breker read for the first time, followed by Erica Jen, Peter Jonker, Donald B. Campbell, and Gary Chappell. Two first-timers for this season, Edda Ryan and Jim Weseen, concluded the readings.
Jo Oliver and Edda Ryan organized the event, and Jo Oliver once again acted as the MC for the evening and brought the cookies.
Photos of the first five readers can be found elsewhere on this webpage, and for the two others, we'll just borrow their board photos:
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Edda Ryan |
Jim Weseen |
Seventh Open Mike
On March 12, 2009 the Coop tried something different: simultaneous Open Mikes in Saskatoon and North Battleford. In Saskatoon a small but enthusiastic crowd of a dozen Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library to hear five readers: Wendy Weseen, Megha Morganfield, Peter Jonker, Jim Weseen (who also MC'd), and new reader Martha Kashap. ===>
Meanwhile, Board members Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell drove to North Battleford, where the Public Library hosted over 30 people for a first-ever event. Nine readers delivered a variety of work including poetry, prose, and play script. Readers included Candice Brown, Cliff Burns, Bob Carnahan, Azby Whitecalf, Lloyd Deshaye, Barb O'Neil, Roy Challis, Gary Chappell and Jo Oliver. Lloyd Deshaye was the MC and Wendy Hunchak coordinated the event for the library.
Our thanks go to the readers, the audience, the library, and the North Battleford organizers (who may just have started something good). Here are some pictures from the evening:
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MC Lloyd Deshaye and |
Bob Carnahan |
Lloyd Deshaye and |
Eighth Open Mike
On April 9, 2009, fifteen Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the Coop's monthly Open Mike.
Eight performers delivered a variety of prose and poetry. They included Jim Weseen, Arloa Beach (new), Cindy Clarke (new), Cathy Langdon (new), Gary Chappell, Jo Oliver, Gayle Smith, and Bernice Friesen (new). Three of the readers were members of the Coop's recently-concluded prose class instructed by Bernice Friesen.
Jo Oliver organized the event and acted as the MC for the evening. Both Jo and Cathy Langdon brought cookies.
Our thanks go to the readers, the audience, the Library (especially Writer-in-Residence John Barton), and as always, Jo Oliver.
Some pictures from the evening are below as well as over here ===>
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Cathy Langdon |
Bernice Friesen |
Arloa Beach |
Final Open Mike
On May 14, 2009, a dozen intrepid Coop members, community members, family and friends braved the snowstorm to gather in the warmth of Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the Coop's ninth Open Mike of the season.
Seven performers delivered a variety of prose and poetry. They included Carol Kavanagh, Erica Tesar (first time this season), Megha Morganfield, Chander Behl, Gary Chappell, Don Reimer (first time this season), and Jim Weseen.
Jo Oliver organized the event and shared the MC duties with Gary Chappell.
Our thanks go to the readers, the audience, and the Library (especially Writer-in-Residence John Barton, to whom we were sad to say farewell).
Here are some pictures from the evening:
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Carol Kavanagh |
Erica Tesar |
Don Reimer |
Check out the events the Coop hosted last year
Coop AGM
Coop president Jim Weseen
chairs the AGM
Snack time
Winter Party
MC John Barton
warms up the crowd
Revellers relax
Belinda Betker and Megha
Morganfield open the duels
September 11 Open Mike
Some performers and audience members
Writer in Residence John Barton
October 9 Open Mike
Marion Mutala
Sue Clarke
November 13 Open Mike
Peter Jonker
Jo Oliver
December 11 Open Mike
Andrew Dziadyk
Door prize winner
Christina Breker
January 8 Open Mike
Listeners
George Bitz
Rita Bouvier
February 12, 2009 Self-publishing presentation
Wes Funk
The second part of the February Open Mike evening featured Coop member and self-published author Wes Funk, sharing some of what he has learned from self-publishing and marketing his recent novel Dead Rock Stars. Wes was joined by library Writer in Residence John Barton in answering questions from the audience.
March 12 Open Mike
Martha Kashap
April 9 Open Mike
Cindy Clarke
May 14 Open Mike
Jim Weseen
[photo by Chander Behl]
