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Carmen Deedy is an award-winning storyteller and children’s book
author and John McCutcheon is an author, folksinger and six time
Grammy nominee who will be onstage Saturday night at 7:30 on March
10, 2012, at the Bonnie Higdon Reaves Auditorium on the Reinhardt
Campus in Epworth. The Craddock Center is pleased to welcome a
couple of artists who appeal to both children and adults. This
husband and wife don’t often get to perform together, which makes
this program extra special. John McCutcheon is one of the country’s
most respected and popular folk singers and Carmen Deedy is
recognized nationally as an adult storyteller as well as author of
many popular children’s books. Johnny Cash once said that John
McCutcheon is “the most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.”
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And librarians and children all over the country say that Carmen Deedy “captivates anyone listening to her spinning the web of words
she uses to delight folks of all ages.” Come enjoy an exhilarating
evening of songs and stories!--TLS |
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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| Cassidy Burton was unaware that
morning that this was not going to just be another ordinary day of
school. She joined her friends as they walked to the classroom and
sat down to listen to a special speaker brought in that day from The
Craddock Center. She knew the school had been collecting books to
give to the Center to support the underprivileged children in
Southern Appalachia, but had no idea listening to the words of Dr.
Trisha Senterfitt, Director of the Center, that morning would impact
her so personally.
As she listened to Dr. Senterfitt tell of the hardships of some of
the three and four year old children in that region, she knew she
wanted to do something to help.
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She learned that some of the families there did not have much extra
money and many times could not afford hats or gloves for the cold
winters. She learned that it was not toys and candy that the
children treasured, but coats, blankets and hats to keep them warm.
That day she made up her mind...she would make hats for them. After
stopping on the way home to buy materials, she was prepared in every
way but one...she didn’t know how to knit. However, she wasn’t
deterred by this inconvenience. Within a week, she had not only
learned how to knit, but had four small hats finished and ready to
be delivered to waiting children.
And she isn’t going to stop there! She has plans to continue making
these hats! In order to buy the materials needed for more hats, she
is selling them to local families. For every hat that she sells, she
will donate one to the Craddock Center to clothe more children. —
Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy Newspaper
“I grew up so fortunate, so I want to do something for these kids
who aren’t as fortunate. Their parents can’t afford hats, but I can
make a difference.” ~ Cassidy Burton
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MEET DIANE COLEMAN
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The newest Board member of the
Board of Directors. Diane’s professional career included Regional
Marketing Director and Field Training Director with Estee Lauder
Cosmetic Company and with her own Creative Training Solutions
Company. Since retiring her focus has been working with children.
She said, “I had a teacher in second grade who loved everyone in our
class unconditionally and made sure that she enriched our lives
forever through education. The impact she had on my life triggered a
lifetime of passion for helping children.”
Diane is married to Rusty and they have two daughters and five
grandchildren. — TLS
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Beth and Kay joined the Board at the end of 2011.
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FOR THREE YEARS |
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I have asked Santa Claus for a new Bible. I admit I did not try to
make my case; I thought the gift made its own case. In fact, I was a
bit proud of my request, thinking Santa would be relieved to have a
break from assembling the very latest gizmos. Taking a Bible from
the shelf of unrequested Holy Scriptures and blowing off the dust,
he could sigh and say, “How long has it been!” But no; instead I
received a tie with a note, “Hope you still like wide ties.” What
happened?
Maybe I do need to make my case, so the next year I did just that. I
don’t mean I tried to justify the gift by giving Santa a list of my
merits, impressive as that would have been (The very thought puts a
strain on my humility). If Santa has a list and has checked it
twice, then surely I deserve a Bible, for crying out loud. So I
attached to my request a brief description: New Revised Standard
Version, large print. As if he didn’t know of my recent eye
problems, I explained my request for a Bible in modestly enlarged
print for public reading of texts for the day. I faced Christmas
with confidence.
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Only to be disappointed. Santa’s note was a reprimand. “Now, after
65 years of preaching and teaching, you are wanting a Bible. A bit
late, don’t you think? Enjoy your socks.”
You may now be saying to yourself, “Forget Santa Claus; go buy
yourself a Bible.” Easier said than done. In the first place, buying
and selling, for goodness sake! I have never bought a Bible; every
Bible I have was given to me. Giving and receiving, not buying and
selling, seems more fitting. But even if I decided to buy one, where
do I go? You would think a Christian Book Store would be the place.
I called around; plenty of Bibles but no NRSV. “We carry only the
true Word,” one voice said. OK, so I am going to a regular book
store, they have all kinds of Bibles. But I dread it. I can hear the
clerks now: “Well, if this isn’t a shocker! After all these years
explaining the Bible, and now you are going to read it. This
confirms some people’s suspicions, Fred. May we put this on Facebook?
Does this mean Santa didn’t give me a Bible this year? I don’t know;
I haven’t gotten up the nerve to open my gift. It still lies under
the tree. Judging from the package, it could be, but I hope Santa
didn’t include one of those notes. — FBC
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HEAD, BODY, LEGS: A STORY FROM LIBERIA |
The storytellers with the Craddock Center
presented the story Head, Body, Legs: A Story from Liberia by
Margaret H. Lippert and Julie Paschkis to the Pre-k and Head Start
schools recently. This story was chosen for several reasons: to
introduce the children to multicultural stories, to build
self-awareness, and to be able to put together a body in the correct
order, to name a few. In summary, the Head rolls around on the
ground all by himself then bumps into arms which attach themselves
awkwardly on top of head. They work together as best they can until
they bump into body. Head attaches itself on body’s belly button and
they carry on as best they can until they bump into legs. Legs jump
onto the arms and they all work together as best they can.
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They soon figure out that if they
all switch places they may be able to work together better. They
keep switching places, and still have difficulties, until finally
Head is on top, body in the middle, arms at the sides, and legs on
the bottom. The body parts realize they really work together best
this way.
The kids have enjoyed this story so much. They loved that the body
parts didn’t fit together correctly, and enjoyed the silly pictures
that it created. Our storytellers used body pieces and let the kids
help put the body together incorrectly and then correctly. The
teachers found that this book and the children’s participation
helped them identify their own body parts correctly. One teacher
asked her class to draw a picture of him or herself so she could
pre-assess kindergarten readiness. She found that the majority of
the class could draw their picture correctly by the end of October.
This is usually an end of year skill. She credited this book and the
engagement of the storyteller with the children for this
accomplishment. Storytelling is bridging gaps in literacy and
preparing children for kindergarten readiness. — Kim Cheves |
OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS |
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- March 5, 2012—Spring Preaching Workshop with Dr. Barbara
Brown Taylor, 9 a.m. at Cherry Log Christian Church
- March 10, 2012—Songs and Stories: Appalachian Style, 7:30
p.m. with Carmen Deedy and John McCutcheon at the Bonnie Higdon
Reaves Auditorium on the Reinhardt Campus in Epworth, GA
- March 31, 2012 — Helen Lewis Appalachian Celebration, 7 p.m.
with Dr. Patricia Beaver and Dr. Judith Jennings, Editors of Dr.
Lewis’ latest book, Helen Matthews Lewis: Living Social Justice
in Appalachia at the Bonnie Higdon Reaves Auditorium on the
Reinhardt Campus in Epworth, GA
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Children’s Enrichment Program of
The Craddock Center
I will give _______ scholarships of $140.00 per year for 3 years.
I will pay this pledge ___ monthly, ___ semiannually, ____ annually
Signed ___________________________________
Address __________________________________
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