We non-profits stick together

As you may have realized while listening to us WMRA staffers raise money, worry about money, and hope that old money tree in the side yard at 983 Reservoir finally starts bearing fruit, WMRA is a non-profit. In other words, we get by with a lot of help from our friends.

And, as we all get back what we give, WMRA also gladly gives help to other non-profits--mostly through our on-air announcements of other non-profits' events and through listing them on the Events page at WMRA.org. But occasionally, when time permits, we do other helpful things as well.

Lexington's Boxerwood Gardens describes itself as "a woodland garden and nature preserve." If you go to its website you'll learn that "the thirty acre site contains six distinct habitats and fifteen acres of mature, naturalistically planted trees and shrubs, featuring both native and unusual plant specimens."

Boxerwood came into being back in the middle of the last century when one Dr. Robert S. Munger, MD, decided to begin landscaping the 30 acres surrounding his new home so that it didn't look too landscaped. It is a truly beautiful, restful, interesting site -- and sight.

It is also a non-profit.

I share a literary agent with Lexington's Alison Baker, a fine short story writer (How I Came West and Why I Stayed), and we became friendly when she did a Civic Soapbox. Alison and I have quite a bit in common, including the fact that we'd both rather be outside than in.

Alison supports Boxerwood in many ways, including with that most valuable of commodities, her time. A while ago, she asked me if I'd be willing to host a two-part essay writing workshop at Boxerwood; certainly to raise some money ($50 bucks admission for both workshops, all going to Boxerwood), but also to get some new people out there. And I said, sure. As long as they were held on a Saturday.

I'm happy to report that these two workshops are indeed going to take place Saturday, February 6 & Saturday, February 13, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.at Boxerwood.

Personally, I'm never happier than when I'm sitting around with a bunch of people talking about writing, and I've done lots of these workshops -- all, before, at no charge. But I figure if my hosting an essay writing workshop at Boxerwood provides people with an excuse to give that beautiful place 50 bucks, and gives me yet another excuse to hang out with writers, then it's all okay with me.

I use a format in these gatherings that welcomes both established writers, just hungry to talk about writing, and those who've always wished to write but, somehow, have never done it. I'll also touch on blogging, which I see as related to essay writing, but not at all the same thing.

I figure that, since you listen to WMRA and read this blog, you're probably interested in both writing and nature. So please consider this your personal invitation to attend those two February workshops at Boxerwood. DO NOT BE SHY IF YOU DON'T (YET) CONSIDER YOURSELF A WRITER. I would love to see you there.