Heart Of Joy Folkschool Launching Mid-October

A group of us here in the village of Yellow Springs, Ohio, have been talking and meeting together for several months, developing ideas for a folkschool. The concept has proven to be magnetic, something that many people can relate to and have good ideas for. There have been some financial gifts which have helped with basic advertising as well as the deposit on a facility where we'll hold our first Folkshop - a living history of the founding of the village, complete with folk skills in use at the time, and some folk drama and an old-timey dance with homegrown music. Recently the folkschool received a grant from the Yellow Springs Community Foundation - and it has given us that boost of encouragement that every group needs when things get down to the wire.

We'll gather at the Outdoor Education Center in Glen Helen on Friday evening, October 17, for registration, meet-and-greet, and historical drama with audience participation. On Saturday, October 18, we'll gather at 10 A.M. for classes - woodworking, quilting, weaving, knitting, bread-baking. We'll break for home-made lunch and good conversation. Then we'll continue with classes, including a tracking and plant-finding hike and possibly also a historical hike. The musicians will have a jam session to prepare the music for the evening's dance. Then we'll have homemade supper, and afterwards, an old-timey dance.

Children must be accompanied by adults. Elders with skills and memories and experience to share get in free. Children K-12, $5. Adults $10.

Our hope is to provide community nourishment in many ways for our beloved village of Yellow Springs.