Poetry Omnibus accepting submissions until Jan. 31
Poetry Omnibus is accepting submissions for a new year of poems on Juneau city buses.
Poems must be original, by a local resident, less than ten lines (including the title and lines between stanzas) and appropriate for the bus.
There are two categories: youth, or between third grade and age 17, and adults, age 18 and older. Local poet Mary Lou Spartz said organizers would like to encourage poems from local youth.
The first poem is free to submit. The second two (each poet can submit up to three) cost $3 each.
Coordinator Ceann Murphy said there are 28 spots for poems on Juneau buses. Last year, she said, there were more than 70 submissions, but the organization still has a long way before reaching that number this year. Poems will be up on the bus throughout the year.
Instructions on how to submit are at https://jahc.org/?event=poetry-omnibus.
The deadline is Jan. 31, 2017.
King Island Christmas donates to United Way
Over the course of seven 2016 performances in downtown Juneau and the Valley, the production of King Island Christmas raised $6,000 for the United Way of Southeast, exceeding organizers’ goal of $5,000.
“King Island Christmas” is based on a true event experienced by late Juneau artist Rie Muñoz. Sharon Gaiptman, Deborah Smith and Missouri Smyth first produced the show in Dec. 2010 as a tribute to Muñoz and the late children’s author, Jean Rogers, who took the story and adapted it as a children’s book. They joined forces again to bring the show to Juneau during the holiday season of 2012, and the following summer, before taking it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013. This time the show was not only dedicated to the memories of Rie and Jean, but to beloved cast member Stephen McPhetres, who passed away late last year.
“The generosity of these women, the cast members, everyone who came to see it and/or helped to make it happen is truly appreciated,” said Wayne Stevens, president and CEO of United Way.
