City Thanks Spellbinders Volunteers

From the founder and coordinator of the Peekskill chapter of Spellbinders:

Once upon a time……

At the April 11th Peekskill City Council meeting, Mayor Frank Catalina recognized the volunteers of Peekskill Spellbinders as part of the national effort to celebrate seniors making a difference in their communities.

Started in Colorado in 1987, Spellbinders is dedicated to continuing the age-old art of transmitting cultural values, community and character building and understanding by training volunteers to be storytellers. On August 23, 2004, the first class of 11 newly trained volunteer storytellers launched the Peekskill chapter of Spellbinders.

Storytelling is a acknowledged stimulus to reading, provides natural and nourishing communication between generations, enhances language development, listening skills and aural comprehension, stimulates children’s creative imagination, and acquaints children with the folktales, legends and true stories of many cultures and many lives.

In the Peekskill chapter, more than 90 Spellbinders volunteers have been trained and have told stories in all the Peekskill elementary schools and the middle school over the years. The Peekskill school district has been a strong supporter of the program and the Peekskill Field Library and the entire staff of the Children’s Room has been a consistent and excellent support and resource system, including hosting our monthly inservice meetings.

We want to thank the Peekskill City Council for this recognition, Dr. David Fine and the Peekskill City School District for the wonderful opportunity to do storytelling in the Peekskill schools and their support, and Volunteer NY for arranging for this event.

And we are all looking forward to

…….….. living happily ever after!!!!

PHOTO/contributed