Tuesday, March 20, 1834
Daily Nebraskan
Paqo 8
Writing, storytelling festival unique
Older Nebraskoms relate life eocpertences
Dy Bill Casari
The UNL Writing and Storytelling
Festival encourages older Nebraskans
to write down their ideas and life
experiences.
Joy Ritchie, the writing and story
telling coordinator said the May 19 fes
tival, in its fourth year, is not a contest.
A committee, not a judge, selects which
works will be published. The festival is
sponsored by the UNL Division of Con
tinuing Studies and b funded by a
grant from the Nebraska Committee
for the Humanities.
People of all ages, including those
who have no prior writing experience,
may submit original works by April 1.
Authors receive no money and do not
have to attend the festival in order to
be published, Ritchie said.
Ritchie said the committee tries to
find one selection from each person to
print. She said GO percent of the en
tries come from people more than 60
years of age. The rest are from 45-G0
years-old. However,' a few entries are
from children and young adults, Rit
chie said.
Last year, 300 people submitted
works. Ritchie said she expects 400
entires this year. Topics are broad, she
said, ranging from serious or humor
ous to stories about children and grand
children. One 83-year-old woman wrote about
her family ranch near Maxwell.
"I wanted to put my thoughts on
paper," she said. ' v-
Ritchie said the festival is important
Spring thaw
t , naAi rA-inir ran benefit from
the experience of older Nebraskans.
She said getting published makes auth
ors "feel their writing has been cele
brated." "It is like having a hundred grand
mothers," Ritchie said of the festival.
She said she enjoys coordinating the
festival, which is fun and work at the
same time.
Ritchie said authors usually are eager
and appreciative to see their works in
the book. She gets letters all year in
anticipation of the festival, she said.
The statewide festival features writ
ing workshops, speakers and other
events. Ritchie said she knows of no
other state that has a festival like
Nebraska's.
The festival will be May 1 9 in Lincoln,
June 2 in North Platte and May 12 in
Scottsbluff at the UNL Learning Center.
The deadline for entires is April 1.
Authors may submit one story and or
three poems with the total not to
exceed 1,200 words.
Manuscripts must 1) have not been
previously published, 2) be typed or
clearly written, and 3) have the auth
or's name on the top of each page. A
self-addressed stamped envelope must
be included for the return of the origi
nal manuscript.
Manuscripts or requests for infor
mation should be sent to Joy Ritchie,
Writing and Storytelling Festival, 205
Nebraska Center, UNL, Lincoln, Neb.
68583-0900. For more information, call
472-2814.
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New president says Upward
to broaden RHA's influence
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By Jonathon Taylor
Running unopposed in his bid for
Residence Hall Association executive
office, Upward Party candidate John
Christian was elected president Wed
nesday. Christian, a freshman computer
science major, said he was honored to
be elected.
"I can make a difference within the
organization and in the halls," he said.
Given increased recognition, Chris
tian said, RHA "would use that to our
advantage to increase the standard of
living in the residence halls." Christian
said he plans to concentrate on in
creased communication between stu
dents and the RHA council through
surveys. The possibility of cable televi
sion installation and more quality in
food service are also goals of Upward.
As mediator between residence hall
students and housing officials, Chris
tian said, he will suggest changes such
as a special floor with 24-hour visitat
ion. . Christian said if a survey of resi
dence hall students showed that, for
example "87 percent" of RHA students
were willing to pay about $30 for cable
TV, RHA should push for cable.
' Upward received a total of 474 votes
from the five residence complexes.
Christian said lack of voter turnout
was because election notices were dis
played only a week before polls open
ed. Christian said RHA plans to give
their organization more visibility by
putting more effort into the publica
tion of "Hallways," the RHA newsletter.
Other RHA executives were concern
ed about the organization's lack of vis
ibility in student publications.
"Some of us were upset over the lack
of coverage in the Daily Nebraskan,"
said RHA Vice President Lisa Bredt
hauer. , "My personal goal is to make sure
everything that goes on in the RHA
office is typed and sent to the Daily
Nebraskan," Bredthauer said.
She said the press releases would
keep people abreast of issues and
events RHA must deal with.
Christian said RHA is preparing now
for the first state convention of the
Nebraska Association of Residence
Halls scheduled for April 6 and 7 at
UNL
He said 40 to 50 students from five to
1 1 schools across the state will partic
ipate in business meetings and pro
grams. Activities include a lecture on
leadership and communication skills
presented by Richard Fleming, direc
tor of agricultural communications. A
program on how to add more RHA
staff members and increase RHA activ
ity will be presented by Christian and
Convention Committee Chairman,
Dave Edwards.
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