Your messages on my birthday burst onto my computer screen as I packed up for a class yesterday. Thank you!
And the surprise party where I was named Polymer Prison Princess for the day was so memorable that I have to share the scene.
The polymer wishing well filled with good wishes was a special gift from students at the Ohio Reformatory for Women.
The workroom was festooned with hand-colored toilet paper streamers that ended in rosettes. The table was strewn with confetti made from colored paper scraps interspersed with glints of silver from small pieces of saved pop tart wrappers. The wishing well was wrapped in a potato chip bag turned inside out to camouflage the label.
Students commissioned a couple of songs written and sung by a talented inmate. Cards were hand-lettered. The birthday cookie bar was cleverly made from commissary items (Meghan said I could share her special recipe).
I’ve never been to a more festive party. You couldn’t find more resilient, creative and generous women and I felt truly honored. They follow your work (via printouts of PCD posts), read all the donated books and magazines. You can be proud to have them as members of our community.
dayle doroshow ,
Dear Cynthia, you’ve made my day with this special story for a very special lady- YOU.
Karen Brueggemann ,
It’s amazing how creative people can get when they really want to!
Laurie Mika ,
First of all happy belated birthday wishes to a wonderful leader in our clay community! What a great way to celebrate in a mutually enriching way…..thanks for doing the good work you do!
Meta Strick ,
It’s a very inspiring sign of human resilience and goodness when we see results of the creative energy and unique solutions to pretty severe limitations on the part of incarcerated folks.
Jane Gassner ,
Your post took me back to when I was teaching Writing to a group of male felons at a maximum security prison. On my last day, they gave me a going away party, which was, as was yours, an experience in how people make do with what they have.
Kathy Anderson ,
Even at the Federal High security prison, they find ways to celebrate and say thanks you- home made cards, paper flowers. Warms the heart!
Charline Ahlgreen ,
How can I donate PC books / magazines? We are moving to Ecuador and I can’t ship mine (TOOOOO expensive), but I’d love to donate them to a good cause if the postage isn’t prohibitive.
Sera ,
Cynthia, thankyou for sharing this story. For so many reasons. Sx