Writers' group celebrates 25 years at Write Out Loud May 20

By Your Southwest Media Group

SWIFT CURRENT — The Prairie Quills Writers' Group will mark 25 years of celebrating words, ideas and community at the launch of its anniversary anthology May 20 at the Swift Current Lyric Theatre.

The group was conceived in November 2001 by the facilitator and five members of an adult writing class offered by Cypress Hills Regional College, now Grasslands College. Writers often work in isolation, and belonging to a like-minded group provides positive reinforcement and constructive criticism toward growth.

Dozens of writers from southwest Saskatchewan have taken membership since the group's inception. Prairie Quills provides education through regular meetings, retreats and workshops facilitated by award-winning authors, often supported by the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild.

The Swift Current Library is a close partner. Prairie Quills has hosted Listening Circles and biannual member readings at the library. Members have mentored children and sponsored poetry and prose competitions for youth. They also take part in readings as outreach for Swift Current Seniors and Canadian Mental Health Association clients.

Club meetings now use an online presence to include members for whom distance or weather is an issue. From one published author in 2001, several Prairie Quills writers now have books published in a variety of genres.

Eleven members will read brief excerpts from the group's new anthology, 25 – Anniversary Edition, during the Write Out Loud event. Copies will be available for $20.

Write Out Loud organizers thanked the City of Swift Current for its support.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.

For more information, contact Terry Toews at t.toews@sasktel.net or Dianne Miller at dorm@sasktel.net.