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Gail Thomas
Elder Voices
Email gail@perugiapress.com
Website http://www.perugiapress.com >> 

Personal Statement: It is by telling our stories, no matter how ordinary we judge them to be, that we create bonds with each other and the larger community, regardless of age or other difference.

Current Work
Elder Voices is a series of writing programs that stimulate mind and body, create a sense of community, and offer the writing of older people to the larger community through publishing.

Whether participants are writing to leave a legacy or to tap their creativity, they find inspiration and motivation. Weekly sessions provide a sense of community and companionship in a fun, supportive atmosphere. p>Participants’ ages range from 65 to 105, and sessions take place at senior centers, retirement communities, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals.

Other innovative programs include intergenerational sessions for children, teens, and seniors using the arts as a bridge, and sessions for people with memory impairment using poetry to spur communication and feeling. Gail Thomas, an award-winning poet, is also available for speaking engagements, poetry readings, consultation, and as an artist-in-residence.

Short Bio
Gail Thomas is the author of two books of poetry, Finding the Bear (Perugia Press, 1997) and No Simple Wilderness (Haley’s, 2001). Her poems have appeared in literary journals including the Beloit Poetry Journal, Evergreen Chronicles, and Calyx, and her work has been recognized by the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the MacDowell Colony, and the UCross Foundation. Thomas has given many poetry readings throughout the northeast and has been a speaker and presenter for arts, education, and social service organizations.

Union Affiliations/Professional Organizations
Massachusetts Cultural Council Elder Arts Initiative

Artist Location
Florence, MA

Type of artist
Writer, Arts Educator

General Themes
Aging/Intergenerational, Children/Youth, Education
Keywords
poetry, workshops, seniors, elders, intergenerational, poetry readings, publishing
Last updated on May 1st, 2007

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