Month: March 2022

Happy Spring Everyone!

On Sunday March 20^th, we held another successful AGM on Zoom with 31 Stroll members in attendance Thank you to all who came out to show support, take in information and vote.  Let’s give a round of applause to John Leppard and Max Vandersteen for Tech and Co-Hosting this year. We would also like to thank Don Perkins (our Returning Officer) and Lisa Mulrooney for help with ballots again this year.

We appreciate all the candidates who ran for election this season and we’re excited to welcome Kayleigh Cline to our leadership team. Kayleigh has been active with our 30^th Anniversary Poetry Remix project this year and we’re happy to add her cheerful demeanour and technical skills to our team! Our returning group of board members consists of Alice Major, Anne Gerard Marshall, Markus Eymann, Max Vandersteen, Naomi McIlwraith and Shirley Serviss. I am happy to work alongside this dynamic group of individuals this year as president once again. We’re also happy to welcome Audrey Brooks and Leslie Dawson back as board associates. The Stroll of Poets and Parkland Poets continue to have a board representative at each other’s meetings to keep up to date on upcoming events.

In recognition for his ten years of service at the Stroll of Poets, (seven as president) a poetic tribute was read to John Leppard from various Stroll members. John’s wife, Mary Frances, was also present to share in honoring John’s contributions to the Stroll. A copy of this tribute poem to John has been added to the 2022 Anthology. The Anthology is due to arrive in May (please watch for announcements regarding the date).

Our new board will hold their first meeting in April and we look forward to another fabulous season of poetic expression with the Stroll of Poets!

May these warmer temperatures find you venturing out into a less restrictive world. As you do so, please to watch the Stroll newsletter for further 30^th Anniversary events in the upcoming months. However we gather going forward, may this next season be our best yet!

With warm regards,
Janis Dow

Up next at the Haven!

Monday, March 28, 7:00 pm, “Doors” 6:30 pm 

Featured Readers: Trevor Hughes, Louise Fairley & Alex Kandathil

Mic Host: Leslie Dawson

**Attention Stroll members! There was a last-minute cancellation for the upcoming Poets’ Haven on March 28th. If you are a paid-up member and interested in presenting your poems, please indicate your interest by contacting the Haven team at strollquestions@gmail.com or going directly to our Reader Sign-up site at signupgenius.com/go/10c0d48a5ae2fa7f8c43-haven1 and filling in your name.

Open Mic:  Sign-up (2-min. poem) New and first-time readers are always welcome and given priority during the Open Mic.

Zoom invite If you know anyone who would like to join our online reading nights and is not a Stroll member please direct them to strollquestions@gmail.com.

Please note all requests for Zoom links to “Haven at Home” evenings need to be done before 5pm.

All Stroll of Poets members are cordially invited to attend an online annual general meeting on Sunday, March 20. Registration will start at 1:30 with business beginning at 2 pm. Just a reminder that your current membership expires on that day.

Any questions may be directed to strollquestions@gmail.com We hope that you’ll be able to join us.

Topic: Stroll Annual General Meeting
Time: Mar 20, 2022 01:30 PM Edmonton

Meeting Zoom link and meeting passcode will be distributed in the Stroll’s weekly newsletter.

April is National Poetry Writing Month – the perfect time to read poetry and write! 30/30 is a personal challenge to write 30 poems (however unfinished they may be) in 30 days. It takes you out of your comfort zone, gets your creative juices flowing, and it is fun – especially when doing it with others!

Join in by emailing Trudy Grienauer at ppnindo@gmail.com.

The Stroll has come together for 30/30 since 2017, and as we celebrate our 30th anniversary this year it will be a great opportunity to share poetry and support each other in trying to write every day. The group will use daily prompts and guidance from various resources on the web. These are optional of course – you can write about anything you want! Poems will be shared among the group via Google docs (only accessible to those who sign up).

PS: If you have already responded for a 30/30 volunteer role, you don’t have to sign up again.

Up next at the Haven!

Monday, March 14, 7:00 pm, “Doors” 6:30 pm 

Featured Readers: Laurel Sproule, Kim Mannix, Dan Knauss, & Alison Clarke

Mic Host: Trudy Grienauer

Open Mic:  Sign-up (2-min. poem) New and first-time readers are always welcome and given priority during the Open Mic.

Zoom invite If you know anyone who would like to join our online reading nights and is not a Stroll member please direct them to strollquestions@gmail.com.

Please note all requests for Zoom links to “Haven at Home” evenings need to be done before 5pm.