Celebrating Canada Day 2020 with Stories: Guelph Guild of Storytellers and celebrated Guelph guests,
Lots of cudos to GGS' virtual Canada Day 2020 event on its YouTube channel. There were common themes in the postivie comments. They included the inclusion of a variety of voices and the quality of the participants. (Scroll down to see program notes). Delighted to get positive responses. Here is one: (Click here to see more,)
On Jul 1, 2020, at 8:54 PM
"Just finished the story tellers and their amazing stories.
Enjoyed it very much.
Thanks for sharing it for the public. . . .
I also told a friend in Barrie about it. She was even more enthralled by the stories as she has moved around Canada more than I have and her daughter lives in Australia. Hope there will be more to come. Anne
(Editor's note: the Guild will continue with follow-up Zoom meetings. One agenda item is our future direction and actions.. News will follow.)
GGS's VIRTUAL CANADA DAY 2020 CELEBRATION WITH STORIES.
How to respond to this summer's cancellation of our much loved Tea "n" Tales 2020? This Canada Day 2020 weekend would have been the launch with James Gordon and Brian Holstein. How do we continue to celebrate the wonderful world of stories and their tellers?" We wrestled with the question.
It was at one our regular virtual meetings that Ron Conibear, one of our newest members, first suggested it, "Why not have a virtual event to mark Canada Day with stories?" We jumped on the idea and now we're excited to invite you to join us. Click here on Canada Day, Wednesday, July 1 at 9:00 am to 10:45, or 7:00pm to 8:45. You will hear an eclectic array of voices and stories, including a Q'n'A with First Nation's teacher, Bruce Weaver; James Gordon renowned Guelph troubodor; Robert Munch telling one of our favourite, Love You Forever; Brad Woods, treasured Guelph teller, Kevin Sutton, Spoken Word performer, and members of the Guild, Bev Matson, Brian Holstein, Don Conobear, Jenny Q, Michael Dougherty and Sya VanGeest
Meanwhile, Tea "n" Tales storytellers are using their skills to entertain us from their homes to meet the challenge of these extraordinary times. Enjoy their virtual storytelling. Let their stories transport you and imagine the sweet setting of the Enabling Garden.
Lynn Torrie - We've been thrilled to have gifted, experienced teller, Lynn Torrie, grace Tea n' Tales and now she continues giving. Enjoy her dramatic telling of a charming tale, The Man Who Had Nothing.
Visit Lynn on her Website and respond to her invitations to a number of events she is hosting, Join Toronto storytellers' 1001 Storytelling event every Friday evening from 8:00 to 10:00. Imagine, they have have done that for 43 years!! Now that it's virtual, any number can joi from anywhere.
Elizabeth Matson – a regular experienced professional guest teller at Tea ‘n’ Tales, was scheduled to return by popular demand on August 21.
Elizabeth posts a weekly “Yoga, Story. Play”, from her home as part of the virtual children’s program of the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville, Wisconsin. This link gives access to her stories. Enjoy, and i suggest you pass this link on to friends and neighbours with wee ones in their lives.
Sarah Abusarar is one of the favourite out-of-town guest storytellers of Tea 'n' Tales, scheduled to return August 14. Sarah had an earlier event that was cancelled due to pandemic, so she shared her story with her musical accompanist, each from their own home. “Why is the Sky so Far Away”, a Nigerian folktale with music by Cassie Norton
Brian Holstein and Michael Dougherty, are both active members of the Guelph Guild Of Storytellers (GGS) planning and shaping events, in addition to being regular tellers at both Tales From the Hill and Tea ‘n’ Tales.
Brian gives us the historical context for his recitation of, “And the Band Played, Waltzing Matilda’.” He tells how he met and received permission from Eric Bogle, creator of the lyrics, to perform the story. It commemorates the terrible brave sacrifice made by the Anzacs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) during WWII. The events and memorials touch Brian deeply. It’s part of the history of his birth country, Australia. The event is remembered every year on April 25. This April 2020 Remembrance year, Brian shared the lyrics from his home. Click here to hear is powerful telling, “And the Band Played, Waltzing Matilda’.” Visit Brian's Facebook and enjoy his regualr Friday story.
Michael, is doing his part to give us a lift during these uncertain times giving us stories from his home. His extensive repertoire includes traditional, historical and personal stories. He tells Stone Soup with his own personel twist, a humorous, true tale of what he saw one day on a country drive. and regular additions. Hear a Newfoundland story featuring a fiesty greatgrandma. Click here to hear that story.
Michael too post a new tale every week on his Fecebook page.
Tea 'n' Tales 2020
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Tales From the Hill: 2020
The city of Guelph's update tells us that, "programs, performances and events are cancelled through July 5, 2020."
That means that Tales from the Hill is finished for the season. How precious it will be to welcome you back on the first Wednesday of the fall season, September 2nd at 7:00.
Meanwhile visit the Civic Museum. "We are still available online and through our social media channels. Explore the Museum’s Musings Blog and find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. . . . visit the staff contact page to connect with us via email while are working offsite."Val Harrison, Supervisor of Visitor Experiences.writes: "The Museum sure is quiet without you. While we work from home, planning for better days ahead, we miss your visits, your questions, your stories, and the energy you bring to our galleries and events. We hope you are doing well, and adjusting to the isolation and physical distancing measures essential to keeping us all safe at this time."
The Guelph Guild of Storytellers (GGS) was founded in 1984 by a small group of Guelph authors and tellers. Now, decades later, it continues to champion storytelling with the same spirit of love for the spoken word and desire to share stories to entertain, to engage, to inspire wonder, curiosity, and appreciation, to spark imagination and to inform. From the beginning the search was for adult audiences to share and nurture the ancient art and to encourage tellers of all levels. For years, members regularly got together to build and polish stories, often around a theme, to 
