Florida Public Library celebrate storytelling

Annual Tellabration! begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 Florida - The Florida Public Library sponsors its 8th annual Tellabration! on Saturday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. The event is produced by the members of the Black Dirt Storytelling Guild which meets monthly at the library. Tellabration!, a worldwide benefit day of storytelling, is a trademarked program of the National Storytelling Network and takes place in more than 300 locations. Tellabration! is traditionally held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving and is the culmination of National Storytelling Week. Florida’s event this year has the theme of “Remember This” and storytellers are offering a wide variety of personal reminiscences, folktales from around the world, local history stories, myths and legends. Black Dirt Storytelling Guild members Anne Hanson, Eileen Stelljes and Madelyn Folino will be featured tellers. Special guest tellers from the community will include Sugar Loaf carpenter, poet and Vietnam vet Jim Kenny; county poet laureate and author Rosemarie Werkman who has lived in Washingtonville for 81 years and has vivid memories of old Orange County; Florida Village police officer Stan Lupinski who grew up in Chester and has lived to tell a tale or two; teen storyteller; veteran Tellabration! performer Kathleen Wilson; and popular teller and author Pamela Schembri of Montgomery. Tellabration! will be presented in a candlelit café format with free coffee and dessert. Attentive listeners of all ages are invited to attend. All children must be accompanied by parents. Admission is $2 or a canned or packaged item per person for the Florida Food Pantry. Following the two-hour show, all storytellers and their families are invited for a potluck supper. For more information or directions, call the library at 845-651-7659. To learn more about the history of Tellabration!, visit www.tellabration.org.