WyoPoets Officers

Wyoming_tracks

Elected Positions:

President – Abbie Taylor Vice President - Vacant

Treasurer - Art Elser Secretary - Patricia Buck

Non-Elected Positions:

Historian - Midge Farmer Newsletter Editor – Chris Williams

Web Site – Nancy Curtis

Historian Notes by Midge Farmer, WyoPoets Historian, November, 2006

The history of any group is important and should be retained and constantly maintained. The records show when, how and why we began, what has happened since that start and the roads traveled to where we are today. Our successes, both as a group and as individuals, are noted. Sometimes even things that did not work are mentioned so we can know that years later. Our official paperwork is kept here.

Test Your WyoPoets Knowledge

Did you know we were born in the fall of 1977 as a “committee” of Wyoming Writers with 25 members? Did you know our name was Poets of Wyoming Writers when we joined the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) that year? Did you know we could not call ourselves the Wyoming State Poetry Society because a fly-by-night scam had operated in WY the previous year under a like name? Did you know we compiled a beautiful book of poetry called WORDWEAVERS published by Wyoming Writers, Inc. in 1986?

Do You Have History With WyoPoets?

All this and more is in our files. The most interesting historical tidbits are often copies of the newspaper clippings, photos, fliers, certificates, programs, etc. that members send when they give readings or work in the schools or do anything to share poetry in our state. Please add your history to our history. Send historical items to:

Midge Farmer

1117 Indian Hills Drive

Gillette, WY 82716

307♦682♦3488

Email: WyoPoets Historian

April 2010
Note From The Prez

Our Members Only Contest was both a creative and financial success. (See page 3) To all who entered, thank you. We can’t have a contest without entries. To Jane Wohl, our judge, and Chris Valentine and Aaron Holst co-chairs for the contest, more thank you’s.

At our workshop, April 24, we will have our business meeting during lunch. Abbie Taylor will become your new president (as current vice president) and I will become past president. Mary Hein, current past president, who has offered much wisdom and insight during my tenure, will now be able to write more poetry. I want to thank all of you for your efforts with writing, reading, and sharing poetry since we need that in order to be poets. I also thank you for your faith and reliance on me these past four years. They have been difficult for me emotionally with the loss of my husband and mother. My service as your president has taught me much and allowed me to grow in many ways. Thank you all for your contributions to WyoPoets and especially for the mutual support of all members which allows us, individually and as an organization, to thrive.

We have some officers and chairs who will be stepping down or out. Following are the open positions and further explanations:

Treasurer - Art Elser, Nominee
Pat Frolander has been our treasurer for two years. We thank her for her stellar service with managing our funds. She has developed some new cost summaries which should help us budget for various activities in the future.

Co-Chair Eugene V. Shea National Contest – We need a volunteer or two.
Eugene V. Shea has been the national contest chair for many years. He has decided that this fall will be his last contest to chair. He was the first recipient of our Excellence Awards and we named the contest for him. We must continue to thank him since we will be enjoying the results of his efforts for many years to come. We need a volunteer (or more) to assist Gene this fall so that person can learn more about the contest and then hopefully take it on in 2011 and continue for multiple years. Our vision is that the contest can have two co-chairs since there is some division of labor that can be assigned to two people.

Historian/Archivist – We need a volunteer or a group of volunteers
Midge Farmer has served in this capacity for many years including the last four. She has organized our history and incorporated current events (which soon become history) in order to show how WyoPoets and its members have served the world of poetry. We thank Midge for her diligence and her continual networking for us to provide her with materials about our achievements.

We will also be asking for volunteers with other activities so please contact me or one of the people listed on page 2 of the newsletter if you have questions or wish to volunteer or be nominated.

Pat Buck, our secretary, will be out of town for both our April workshop and Wyoming Writers, Inc. meeting in Cody in June. Cindy Bower has volunteered to take notes for our business meetings. Our workshop should be a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with “experienced” friends and make new ones. Our motel and meeting rooms are in different establishments, and our workshop presenter, Sophia Puccini, will be encouraging our writing spirit for a day of poetry, poetry, poetry.

Here’s hoping that Easter and other spring holidays lift your spirits, taxes don’t bring you down too much, and that you are recovered by the time April 24, WORKSHOP DAY, rolls around.

Myra Peak

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WyoPoets Meetings

WyoPoets meets during the Wyoming Writers, Inc. annual conference, and also meets at WyoPoets sponsored workshops around the state, conducted at various times during the year.