The Healthy Brain
By Pat Nease
Since April 2023, I’ve been working with our local Council on Aging in a program sponsored by the Florida Health Department titled The Healthy Brain Initiative. (When first contacted, I though someone had recommended me to be IN the program due to my unhealthy brain. But that was not the case.
Storytelling is a vital part of this program and that is the part they wanted me to play, telling for an hour twice during the four-week run of each group. I admit I misunderstood the clientele at first, thinking they would be folks on the brink of dementia or already experiencing the same, so I planned my first visit with easy-to-follow stories that might lead to conversations.
Boy, was I wrong! These were, indeed, older adults, but they were sharp. They just wanted to stay that way. I’m so glad I had stories waiting in the wings or I would have been tolerated and then blessed for leaving.
The stories are told in a very relaxed atmosphere with about a dozen people who are eager listeners with lots of questions and no lack of stories of their own, and the appreciations I receive make it so worthwhile. I look forward to each session and each new group of participants.
So now I’m going to tell you the blunder of my first session. I arrived and was startled to see people I knew: Beverly, a teacher with whom I had taught, Don Taylor, a well-known local artist, and a couple of familiar faces from the Woman’s Club. (Oh, no, I thought. Do all these folks have dementia? They seemed just fine.) I greeted Beverly and Don, obviously a couple, but just couldn’t figure out why they were together.
Had Beverly’s husband Brian died? And had Don and his wife Elise divorced? Of course I complemented Don on his recent art show and caught up with Beverly a bit, but still no hint as to why they were together. I pondered it in the back of my mind the whole time I was telling – which can be tricky.
It was while getting in my car to leave that it hit me. That was NOT Don Taylor! That WAS Beverly’s husband, Brian. But once I had misidentified him (they look somewhat similar), my brain wouldn’t let it go. And the whole time Brian was so gracious, never correcting me, just accepting whatever I said about his art and letting it go.
Reaching home, I sent Beverly a message, letting her know how foolish I felt and apologizing to her and Brian. They thought it was funny. At the next session, I shared what I had done with the group and we laughed and had a lively discussion about it. But I think they decided that I needed the sessions more than they did, and maybe we’re helping each other out. And I think they were right!
Books Wanted
By Walt Belcher
Every time I pass one of those Little Free Library boxes, I peek inside, looking for books about storytelling.
I do this even though I have about 40 books stacked around in various places in my house. I have books that are collections of stories, including fables, fairy tales, and personal remembrances. I have books about the art and craft of storytelling such as The Moth’s “How to Tell a Story.” And I have books from some of my favorite tellers such as Tim Tingle and Doc Moore’s “Texas Ghost Stories.” Tim is scheduled to be at the Florida Storytelling Festival in Mount Dora in January.
I also go to library book sales where I have found some gems such as “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” and “Aesop’s Fables”.
Also in my collection is Florida storyteller Mary Lou Williams’ “Ten Fractured Fairy Tales.” She also will be a featured teller at the Florida Storytelling Festival. And I have a lot of books about Florida: “Spooky Florida,” “Freaky Florida,” “Haunted Tampa,” “Eerie Florida,” “Florida Cowhunter: The Life and Times of Bone Mizell” and more.
Last year, I took a couple of boxes of the books that I no longer use and donated them to the festival’s annual used book sale. This is a fundraiser held during the festival. It helps raise money to keep us going, and it also keeps these books in circulation instead of sitting on a shelf.
So, we encourage all of you to donate storytelling books to the Florida Storytelling Festival. Bring them to Mount Dora or contact me at wbelcher47@yahoo.com
Is your group a 501c3?
Yes
Thanks
Walt B
Congrats on your program. Sounds rich and a real service. Some 35 years ago I started a group called ”Memory Makers,” which grew out of our Illinois Storytelling Festival ”Elders Concert.”
It still meets at our local library, We started with a small Americorps grant that brought myself and Mike Cotter in to do some training and since then all they have needed is a space in the community room of the library, a coffee pot and someone to bring ”coffee and” as we say in this part of the upper midwest.
We had an on-going elders concert at our festival and were funded by the Illinois Deptartment on Aging, a state agency, in part based on research we found at St. Olaf Univeristy in Minnesota that found that telling life stories in a comfortable, safe setting lowered blood pressure among other benefits.
I wish you luck and would like to donate two collections of mine: The Farm On Nippersink Creek and Trail Guide For a Crooked Heart.
Your mailing address?
Best to you and your endeavors.
Jim May
How wonderful, Jim. I still treasure the time you spent with us at Florida StoryCamp so many years ago. You have such a keen sense of story and put me on the right path for one one which I was working.
Your donations are much appreciated.
Pat
We will have a fantastic sale of gently used storytelling books, all great additions to your library. I know I’ve ended up with duplicates at times and so am already weeding out those items that might be helpful and inspirational to others. Thanks to all who contribute!!
The Healthy Brain and Pat Nease;
Andrew Walker here! Is there program in St. Pete? I would like to learn more about your program and how I can replicate it. Now I will be sure to renew my membership because of your post.