Alan Halberstadt View Point: August 2013

Monday, August 26, 2013

What's Happening In Windsor for the TALL SHIPS® Festival August 30 to Sept 1, 2013!

Ahoy Sailors! Join the Riverfront Tall Ships Party

Tour the Tall Ships and then join the landlubbers on shore to party with musicians, dancers, magicians, puppeteers, and singers during the Tall Ships Festival in Windsor. The three-day event begins on Friday, August 30 at Dieppe Gardens and continues through Sunday, September 1 with the musical Spirit of a Nation at the Capitol Theatre.

Festival Highlights

Magician Wayne Tellier kicks off the show at 10 am on Friday, August 30 followed by a line-up of incredible performers ending with two blockbuster events starting at 7 pm. Hook, a free movie, will be shown at the Capitol Theatre, while Crissi Cochrane, Jackie Robitaille and The Walkervilles will perform in Dieppe Gardens.

On Saturday, August 31 at 10 am the Canadian History Talks open on stage in the riverfront park and Poetry on Demand with Vanessa Shields will be presented. Saturday features music, dance and Capt’n Matt’s Treasure Hunt Puppet Show plus the 7 pm ticketed event, Poetry on the Water.

Chief Tecumseh and General Brock on stilts welcome visitors on Sunday, September 1 starting at 10 am, and the party continues with music from Pirates of Penzance, local fiddlers, and Kenneth MacLeod and the Windsor Salt Band. Festivities end at the Capitol Theatre with the musical Spirit of a Nation and a special performance by Ashley MacIsaac in the evening.

For a complete program of the entertainment and outdoor artists market, please visit Coastal Trails: Sails to See Festival. Tickets for deck tours of the ships will be available on-site. Tickets for Poetry on the Water, costing $40 each, are available from Parks and Recreation by calling 519-253-2300 ext. 2752.

From August 30 - September 2, 2013, eight tall ships will drop anchor in Windsor-Essex and Pelee Island for the final stop of the Pan Provincial TALL SHIPS® 1812 Tour commemorating the Battle of Lake Erie. The Windsor TALL SHIPS® Festival will host three tall ships as part of this event.

by Alan Halberstadt www.alanhalberstadt.com

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Become A Book Buddy & Help The Windsor Public Library

Windsor Public Library SEEKING BOOK BUDDY VOLUNTEERS

The Book Buddy Program is a volunteer-based literacy program provided by the library to assist and encourage children ages 6 to 14 with reading difficulties in order to motivate and provide positive reading experiences.

Volunteers give of their time to assist the children with their reading and encourage them to read more often. The volunteers are given support and numerous resources, such as worksheets and literacy-based games in order to assist participants.

Each volunteer is matched to work one-on-one with a particular reading Buddy. Matches can be made at any of the ten Windsor Public Library branches.

To become a volunteer, you must be at least 16 years of age, attend a 45-minute orientation session, be able to obtain a volunteer police clearance (non-refundable fee of $20), and make at least a 6-month time commitment.

Your responsibilities as a Book Buddy Volunteer Reader include meeting for one hour a week with your Book Buddy, selecting interesting material to read with your Book Buddy, and choosing fun activities to increase motivation and confidence in your Book Buddy.

Windsor Public Library is seeking more volunteers for this program, as there is a very high demand for Book Buddy Volunteer Readers, especially those who can read aloud in both English and French.

For more information on volunteering for the Book Buddy Program, please visit any branch, email lgould@windsorpubliclibrary.com or contact us at 519-255-6770, ext 4578.