SMU to host ‘Celebrate Japan’ May 5 to raise money for Misato, Winona’s sister city

WINONA, Minn. — As part of a citywide effort to raise money for earthquake relief in Misato, Japan — Winona’s sister city — Saint Mary’s University will host “Celebrate Japan” Thursday, May 5.

The event, a cultural showcase of Japan’s rich culture and traditions, will run from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Toner Student Center. The showcase will begin with an announcement from Winona Mayor Jerry Miller.

Other events will include:
• Japanese woodblock printing demonstrations, “Moku Hanga,” by SMU’s Preston Lawing
• Origami with Sandy Wernimont from the Winona Middle School
• Japanese dance, provided by Winona State University students from Japan
• A Japanese martial arts demonstration by SMU’s Francis “Fritz” Speck and other members of Minnesota Genbu-Kai Karate
• Sushi (served by Chartwells Food Service) in limited quantities
• Japanese poetry readings by Winona Poet Laureate Ken McCullough of SMU and former Poet Laureate Jim Armstrong of WSU
• A reading from “Sadako and the 1,000 Paper Cranes”
• Reiki massage by Gerry Naal
• Live music with Patti Darbo
• A Skype message from Misato
• And more

Donations are encouraged. Misato bracelets and T-shirts will also be available for purchase.

Fifty homes in Misato were completely destroyed in the March earthquake. Three times that number of houses were damaged. Many businesses and roads are in need of repair. The Misato residents are in need of funds to buy essential supplies like food, water and clothing. For more information on citywide relief efforts, visit http://misatorelief.hbci.com.

When the week of fundraising events is completed, a check from the Winona Community Foundation will be given to the City of Winona to send directly to officials in Misato.

For more information about SMU’s “Celebrate Japan,” contact Chandu Valluri at (507) 457-1466 or cvalluri@smumn.edu. For more information on the benefit week, contact Bead Kerr at bker.1995@gmail.com, Joe Lepley at joseph.lepley@winona.k12.mn.us or Glenn Petersen at gpetersen@winona.edu.

Winona’s Poet Laureate hosts poetry reading from the heart

WINONA, Minn. — Ken McCullough, Winona’s Poet Laureate, will host a poetry event titled “From Memory,” Monday, Jan. 31. Members of the Winona community will gather to recite poetry, by heart, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Winona Senior Friendship Center, 251 Main St.

Local participants will include Pat Costello, Walt and Marian Carroll, Bill Crozier, Margaret Shaw Johnson, Emilio DeGrazia, Jim and Enda Fitzmaurice, Taff Roberts, John Edstrom, Brother Ed Everett, Lynn Nankivil and Giles Schmid.

The program is free and open to the public. Call McCullough at (507) 452-9482 for more information.

Poet Laureate McCullough to read at International Poetry Festival

WINONA, Minn. — Ken McCullough, Winona’s Poet Laureate, has been invited to read his poetry at the 20th International Poetry Festival of Medellin (Colombia), the largest event of its kind in the world. Nearly 1,000 poets from 158 countries around the world, from every continent, have participated in the 20 years of the festival.

In previous festivals, such luminaries as Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka (Senegal), former U.S. Poet Laureate Rita Dove, and Yevgeny Yevtushenko (Russia) have presented their work. This year, 71 poets from 36 countries will participate. The festival runs from July 8-17, with readings and various other presentations throughout the day in a wide variety of venues. The opening and closing ceremonies have grown to the extent that they are now conducted in Medellin’s municipal soccer stadium.

McCullough will give four readings of his poetry during the festival. Each poet reads in his or her original language and then professional actors perform translations of the work in Spanish.

The International Poetry Festival of Medellin began in 1991 as an antidote to the prevailing atmosphere of violence in the city between governmental forces, paramilitary and guerilla groups, and the drug cartels under the aegis of Pablo Escobar. The emphasis of the festival continues to be peace, and the influence of the festival has spread throughout South America and the world; many similar festivals now exist based on this model. In 2006, the festival received the Alternative Nobel Peace Prize, awarded at the seat of the Swedish parliament in Stockholm.

McCullough is assistant director of Academic Advising and director of the PASS program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

Poet Laureate hosts poetry reading March 11

WINONA, Minn. — Winona’s Poet Laureate Ken McCullough will be hosting a poetry reading at Saint Mary’s University on Thursday, March 11. This reading — free and open to the public — is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the President’s Room, located in the Toner Student Center.

McCullough will be reading some of his recent poems, along with some of his favorites. Refreshments will be provided. Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society, is sponsoring this event.

Ken McCullough’s most recent books of poetry are Obsidian Point, and Walking Backwards, as well as a book of stories, Left Hand. He has received numerous awards for his poetry including the Academy of American Poets Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, a Pablo Neruda Award, a Galway Kinnell Poetry Prize, the New Millennium Poetry Award, the Blue Light Book Award and the Capricorn Book Award. He was also awarded an Iowa Individual Artist’s grant and two Jerome Fellowships. McCullough has collaborated with Cambodian writer U Sam Oeur on a bi-lingual edition of his poetry, Sacred Vows, and a memoir, Crossing Three Wildernesses. McCullough lives in Winona with his wife, playwright Lynn Nankivil, and son Orion, and works at Saint Mary’s University.

For more information, contact Dr. Carolyn Ayers at (507) 457-1523 or cayers@smumn.edu.

SMU, WSU poets offer evening of poetry Jan. 29 for Fringe Fest

WINONA, Minn. — Winona’s Poet Laureate Ken McCullough from Saint Mary’s University and former Poet Laureate Jim Armstrong from Winona State University will co-host “A Confluence of Voices” on Friday, Jan. 29.

Several poets from both Saint Mary’s and Winona State will read their work in round-robin fashion, followed by an open mic.

This event, part of the Frozen River Fringe Fest, will run from 4 to 6 p.m. at Mugby Junction, located at 451 Huff St.

For more information, call McCullough at (507) 457-8737.

McCullough, Winona’s Poet Laureate, to perform classic Christmas tale

WINONA, Minn. — Ken McCullough, Winona’s new Poet Laureate, and also the assistant director of Academic Advising and director of the PASS program at Saint Mary’s University, will perform Dylan Thomas’s classic, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” on Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Saint Mary’s.

The reading — free and open to the public — will begin at 4 p.m. in the Common Room, located on the third floor of Saint Mary's Hall. Refreshments will be served. The event is sponsored by the Saint Mary’s English Department and MUSE, the university’s English club.