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CANTON — The Canton Historical Society will host a talk on “Preserving Your Family History through Storytelling” at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, at 25 Turner St. The speakers will be Jane Woodman and Rob Lively of Western Maine Storytelling.
Woodman and Lively will talk about the importance of storytelling — particularly as it pertains to preserving history. They will discuss how to get started with storytelling and suggest some techniques, sharing their stories and some from willing audience participants as well.
Western Maine Storytelling is a group of storytellers and story-lovers presenting programs and supporting the art of storytelling in Western Maine for audiences of all ages.
The mission of the WMS is to engage the western Maine area in storytelling and folk arts and the celebration of regional narrative arts by disseminating information and knowledge, teaching storytelling strategies and presenting excellent performances. WMS meets regularly in Farmington and produces storytelling events throughout the year at local theaters, restaurants, campfires, nursing homes and libraries.
Woodman is native to Farmington and a lover of the natural world. She walks daily on the land her parents purchased 65 years ago. Her other interest is the history of Farmington as seen through photographs and documents found at the Farmington Historical Society. Woodman belongs to the Western Order of Dedicated Storytellers (WOODS), where she enjoys promoting the “telling of stories.”
Lively recently retired from University of Maine/Farmington, where he was a dean. Born and raised in southwestern Pennsylvania, he has worked as a steel mill laborer, a grave digger, a taxi cab driver and an EMT in Wilton. After living in England with his family for seven years while he attended graduate school, he moved to Maine in 1977. Residents of Wilton, he and his wife have two grown children and two grandchildren. Rob serves as president of the WMS executive board.
This event is free of admission and open to the public. The venue is handicapped accessible. Refreshments will be served. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
The Canton Historical Society is an all-volunteer, not-for-profit organization devoted to the preservation and celebration of Canton’s heritage and history. For additional information on WMS, go to westernmainestorytelling.org. If you would like more information about this event, email cantonmehistorical@gmail.com.
