2010 - 2011 Activities and Social Events
with the Writers' Coop
Final Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On May 12, 2011, twenty-four Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the ninth and last Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season.
A full roster of ten readers was reduced by illness, but re-augmented from the floor; in the end, eleven readers performed, three of them twice, treating the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress. One reader was a first-timer; the Coop had specifically invited young readers, and our one new reader was twelve years old. Readers included Colleen O'Conner Wilson, Jim Conner, Skylar Abdeljalil (new), Art Battiste, Jaime Pinilla, Chander Behl , Erica Tesar, Dale Sands, Merrill Edlund, Cali Hastings, and Gary Chappell.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties as usual. Carmen Davies ran the Welcome Desk.
Eighth Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On April 14, 2011, thirty-four Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the eighth Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season.
A full roster of ten readers treated the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress. Five readers were first-timers: Sandra S., Mike Chouinard, Cali Hastings, Sandi Pitura, and Bruce Stephenson. Returning readers included Jaime Pinilla, Jason Underhill, Shanda Stefanson, Tim Malone,and Dale Sands. Three additional readers had to drop to the waiting list for next month.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties as usual. Carmen Davies ran the Welcome Desk.
Coop AGM and social with Charles Hamilton
On March 17, 2011, twenty-seven Coop members and friends gathered in The Refinery Gallery for the Coop's Ninth Annual General Meeting. They reviewed the Coop’s excellent 2010-11 year and elected a new board. Returning incumbents were Gary Chappell, Peter Jonker, Jo Oliver, Jeff Smith, Jim Weseen, Kristina Komendant, and Dave Schultz. Members completing a partial term and standing for re-election were Carmen Davies and Karen Millard. Nominated from the floor were Cali Hastings and Bonnie Hastings.
You can read AGM minutes and reports here.
The meeting was followed by a social event featuring popular keynote presenter Charles Hamilton on spoken-word poetry.
Seventh Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On March 10, 2011, thirty-four Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the seventh Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season.
A record fifteen readers treated the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress. Six readers were first-timers: Tanner Wilson, Jason Underhill, Pamela Orchidie, Richard Buffalo, Peter Oliver, and Sue Clarke. Returning readers included Art Battiste, Jessica Weightman, Nolan Hand, Don Reimer, Tim Malone, Jim Conner, Theo Oliver, Cailean Bethel-Van Rempelle, and Gary Chappell.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties as usual. Carmen Davies ran the Welcome Desk.
Sixth Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On February 10, 2011, twenty-four Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the sixth Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season. It was a smaller crowd than usual, but we enrolled four new members, a record.
Ten readers treated the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress. We had one new reader this time, Shanni Serrao, and we welcomed back Doris Hillis after a multi-year hiatus. Returning readers included Art Battiste, Isabelle Joyal, Don Reimer, Tim Malone, Jim Conner, Cailean Bethel-Van Rempelle, Nolan Hand, and Jo Oliver.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties as usual. Helpers were Karen Millard and Jim Weseen.
Up Close and Personal: an Evening with Anthony Bidulka
On January 20, 2011 over fifty lovers of writing and admirers of this writer in particular came out to the Frances Morrison Library Gallery to enjoy an hour of back-and-forth with Saskatoon writer Anthony Bidulka.
Anthony Bidulka is a multiple-award-winning mystery author. His Russell Quant series of mysteries is seven strong, and still growing. Visit his website and see what's involved in being a successful mystery writer.
Fifth Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On January 13, 2011, thirty-four Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the fifth Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season.
Twelve readers treated the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress. New readers were Kjersti Friggstad Aiken, Dale Sands, Shannon Landels, Tim Malone and Jason Young. Returning readers included Don Reimer, Jaime Pinilla, Carmen Davies, Jim Conner, Sparky Evans, Cailean Bethel-Van Rempelle, and Gary Chappell.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties as usual. Helpers were Carmen Davies, Karen Millard and Jim Weseen.
Fourth Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On December 9, 2010, our Open Mike Night broke last month's record! Thirty-eight Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the fourth Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season-- this one with an optional seasonal theme.
Thirteen readers (yes!) treated the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress and published works. New readers were Bonnie Hastings, Theo Oliver, Heather Brown, and Jim Conner. Returning readers included Don Reimer, Kevin Norlin, Jaime Pinilla, Art Battiste, Erica Jen and Cathy Langdon (poetry tag team), George Khng, Carol Kavanagh, and Nolan Hand. A book door-prize draw rounded out the evening.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties for the evening. Helpers were Carmen Davies and Jim Weseen.
Up Close and Personal: an Evening with Dave Carpenter
On December 7, 2010 thirty lovers of writing came out to the Frances Morrison Library Gallery to enjoy an hour of back-and-forth with Saskatoon writer Dave Carpenter. The time flew simply by.
David Carpenter had the distinction of being nominated for six 2010 Saskatchewan Book Awards. in three categories, for two books (Welcome to Canada, fiction, and A Hunter’s Confession, non-fiction). At the event, he won the prestigious Book of the Year Award, for A Hunter's Confession. He has also won two previous Saskatchewan Book Awards (for Niceman Cometh and Courting Saskatchewan), in addition to having been shortlisted for The Ketzer and Banjo Lessons.
Third Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On November 10, 2010, an amazingly large group (37 Coop members, community members, family and friends) gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the third Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season.
Eleven readers treated the audience to a fine variety of work-in-progress and published works. New readers were Heather Cardin, Morgan Reschny, Shanda Stefanson, and John McLeod. Returning readers included Marion Mutala, Jaime Pinilla, Art Battiste, Evans Bamwesigie, Nolan Hand, Cailean Bethel-Van Rempelle, and Don Reimer.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties for the evening.
Second Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On October 14, 2010, twenty-six Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the second Open Mike Night of the Coop's 2010-2011 season. The optional theme was Hallowe'en-related, and about half of the readers made some effort to follow this theme.
Twelve readers treated the audience to prose non-fiction, poetry, novel excerpt, fantasy, humour, gothic fiction, and some genre-bridging work. New readers were Regine Haensel, Bronwen McRae, Heather Patterson and Jason Young. Readers who have read before (even, in some cases, way back in the early history of Coop Open Mikes) included Art Battiste, Carmen Davies, Nolan Hand, Erica Jen, George Khng, Christian Lafleur, Kevin Norlin, and Jaime Pinilla (for whom this was a noteworthy day, as Chile, his nation of origin, had just rescued 33 trapped miners after 69 days underground, with the help of experts from many nations, including Canada.)
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties for the evening. Jo also brought Hallowe'en treats, as well as appearing in costume (see photo ==>)
Writers for Peace
On World Peace Day, September 21, the Coop partnered with the Saskatoon Public Library, the Saskatoon Peace Coalition, Tonight It’s Poetry, the Cultural Diversity and Race Relations Committee of the City of Saskatoon, and the United Nations Association of Canada – Saskatoon to honour the vision of world peace. An audience of over sixty came to the Frances Morrison Library auditorium to hear a broad spectrum of Saskatoon writers and performance artists whose presentations were linked by the theme of "peace". Presenters included Charles Hamilton, Nicole Almond, Elise Marcella and Khodi Dill, all recruited by Tonight It's Poetry, and Carol and Robert Kavanagh, Alison and Mike Flensburg, Jo Oliver, and Kevin Norlin, recruited by the Coop. Two final readers were Pam Bustin from the SWG and Alice Kuipers, FML Writer in Residence (both also Coop members).
The evening was organized by a committee led by Michael Murphy. MC was Bill Robertson.
Left to right, front row: Robert Kavanagh, Mike Flensburg, MC Bill Robertson, Pam Bustin, Charles Hamilton, Nicole Almond; back row: Carol Kavanagh, Jo Oliver, Alison Flensburg, Alice Kuipers, Khodi Dill, Elise Marcella, Kevin Norlin
First Writers' Open Mike Night of the Season
On September 9, 2010, twenty-four Coop members, community members, family and friends gathered in Room 3 of the Frances Morrison Library for the first event of the Coop's 2010-2011 season, the Coop's monthly Open Mike-- this year once again co-sponsored with the Frances Morrison Library.
Ten readers treated the audience to a great variety of work -- prose, poetry, novel excerpt, science fiction, literary non-fiction, humour, melodrama. New readers included Harvey Neufeld, Isabelle Joyal, George Khng, Coleen O'Connor-Wilson, and Nolan Hand. Readers who have read before included Erica Jen, Cailean Bethel-Van Rempelle, Donald B. Campbell, Gary Chappell, and Jo Oliver.
Jo Oliver and Gary Chappell organized the event and shared the MC duties for the evening.
Our thanks go to the readers, the audience, and the Library.
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audience |
coffee break |
Next Open Mike
Thur. Sept. 8, 2011, 7 p.m.
Room 3, Frances Morrison Library
Learn more about Coop Open Mike events
The winning entry in the first Facebook Poetry Contest
The Pen
This plastic pen
Holds the convenience
Of disposable concepts
It hovers
Over a thin veil of paper
That separates the writer
From immortality.
His muse watches
From the glass eyes of a dragon
Curled up nearby,
Silver wings half unfurled.
It holds the storm of history
And all that never was
Or was never meant to be.
The ink runs, in the way of it,
With writer’s blood,
And time begins.
by Sandy Jenkins
Anthony Bidulka
David Carpenter
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October 14 Open Mike
MC Jo Oliver
September 9 Open Mike
MC Jo Oliver
MC Gary Chappell
