Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

April 9, 2007

Today’s Announcements

 Happy Easter Monday, many of you may still be home today, and start back to work tomorrow only, I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend.  Cynthia Groopman finishes off the Easter presentation with some lovely poems.  We couldn’t forget the Easter Bunny now could we?

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Today’s Stories

~**~**~

 A Brand New United states Citizen
By Cynthia Groopman

As I was sitting in my office at the senior center on April 16, 2002,
waiting for clients to appear for counseling, two lovely ladies
appeared to see me. Maria, age 69 and her daughter Naomi were standing
before me. Maria was a bit frightened and knew no English whatsoever.
Her daughter, Naomi did and told me that her mom wants to learn English
and also to become a United States Citizen. The mom, reached out and
gave me a big hug and told me in Spanish that she was anxious to begin
her new journey.
With many questions asked to Maria in spanish and big hugs, Maria
began her lessons the next day.
An immigrant from Guatemala, Maria worked for the government in that
country before she was sponsored to arrive here as a senior citizen.
She was smiling and always squeezing my hand.
We began by learning conversation singing to the tune of Are you Sleeping
Brother John. We began with the entire list of questions, and in a week
Maria was singing her name, her address her age, her medications, etc. We
were having fun, indeed; then came the writing part. I typed out for her
and in braille for myself to follow along the entire song with
questions and answers about herself and her family. She was delighted to
be able to read the words since she knew the words before reading them.
We progressed to colors, shapes, stories she would write about the
weather, months of the year, etc.
She would smile and keep on squeezing my hand whenever she pronounced
the words correctly. By that summer, she was reading magazines in
English and answering questions. It was unusual for a person 70 years old
to learn that fast, but Maria had a will and when there is a will there
is a way.
Then in 2003, we began the arduous task of citizenship study. I had the
questions and the answers and she had to learn the answers to 100
questions and only five were asked. We did that from 2003 to 2005. She
studied several sentences per day. We reviewed and reviewed.
She had an excellent memory. Time marched on and Maria was an
accomplished English speaker and reader and knew so many answers to the
questions.
Her test date was April 2005, exactly 3 years since she first visited
me, as a frightened, non English speaking lady. What a long road she
travelled with grace and courage and tenacity.
On May 18, 2005, I received a phone call at work. It was Maria's
sparkling unaccented English voice saying that she passed the test and
that she will be sworn in, in June. I was dancing with joy and my heart
sang as I, along with Maria, basked in the sunshine of victorious
triumph.
I knew that she would succeed because she had a dream and pursued it
with all of her heart and might.
Maria voted in the 2006 election and was proud. She loves her new land
and is proud to be a new American. She is an inspiration to everyone who
knows her. If a senior citizen who does not know English at all can
learn to speak, read, write and answer civics questions and become a
United States Citizen at age 71, then so many others can do the same as
well.
This story has two unforgettable lessons; a person without sight can help
a person who is a non English speaker learn and treasure citizenship of
our nation and both of us have touched the rainbow of success in our
lifetimes.

Cynthia Groopman

Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

~**~**~

 Pigs and Pants
(To Storytime and David Wainland!)

From Vance Agee
To David and all Pigs!

In 8th grade, I wanted to play the lead in "Daniel Boone" -- Daniel Boone, of course! LOL.

However, I got second place, much better than my bro here, David! I played Friday. Back then my friend, David S., who was also more "accepted" than I, played Daniel. (These D's are like bees!)

Was I a poor actor? On the contrary! I was a natural. I knew ALL THE LINES. That  "Friday" role was easy! I recall crystal-clearly walking onto stage, saying all my lines in total, natural ease, and wondering why the heck David was "acting" so nervously!

Was I a Pig? Nope, I was Pants: Vance Pants! I was also a nerd. I also HATED school.
Now hang on all! I am not in prison. David et.. al. amigos, I did achieve some justice for us (and I am not done, yet!)

I found a way to skip school! I mixed laundry detergents and breathed them in. Voila! Sneeze, sneeze; please, please; Vance has a cold; no school today -- or forty days each year! Did I fail? Nyet! Each time I went back I simply KNEW everything! David: v-i-c-t-o-r-y! Yeah!

Four years later, I was Valedictorian 1/400. My “friends” told me that they had figured and figured and could figure no way to beat me! Sometimes, I had been 1/2000 on the Honor Roll and featured in a Buffalo Newspaper. 1/2000! On the STAGE! I received a standing ovation for my Valedictory. (The man sitting next to my widowed mom said: "I got to read that again.")

College: summa cum laude, Valedictorian, hired to teach before graduation! My I.Q.? No one knows; I maxed it at 150..............

When I became a Vice Principal, M.S. and H.S., I took care of the Pigs and the Pants! Only 5'7'', I became known as the "big, mean, green machine!" Big? All in the perspective. At 165, I benched 265, and then got my Red Belt in Karate. I closed those ceiling-high locker doors with my foot (and annoyed the principal; too bad).

When I drive by school buildings now, I do not look. They are "just another brick in the wall...." (Pink Floyd). Oh, yeah, I gave Karate demos and AC/DC air-band routines on stage! Go Pigs and Pants!

My last move before a pro temp retirement (yes, I want to go back lol): a huge kid was punching a little kid in a hallway before school. Yell at him or show him?

Show him!

"Just stand still!" One careful l “out-crescent” kick and:
"Ya gotta watch out for us little guys!"

He was fine, but had SEEN a life-long lesson!
And he had felt the air near his face.

Hurray for Pigs and Pants!

From ... Vance

Vance Agee

vgagee@adelphia.net

~**~**~

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

On a blanket of white

On our bright Easter morn

We gather together

To worship the King.

The King of the ages

Who died in our stead

Ascended on high

To meet with His Father.

Let us sing His praises

For the rest of the ages

Until He takes us home

Where we'll forever live.

It may be cold on this day

But it is warm in our hearts

As we gather together

To celebrate His rising, once more.

NormaLee Liles

Hoopla214@yahoo.com

4-8-07

*A blessed Easter to you and yours!*

~**~**~

The Easter Bunny And The Matzo Man

Cynthia Groopman

Oh once upon a time,
In the season when the flowers bloomed in the gold sunshine,
There was  little Easter bunny,
Whose disposition was not so cheerful and sunny.
 Oh how he yearned to run, hop and to jump,
 And to have fun and to rump.
Unfortunately he had no place to go, or treats to bring,
 And he was sullen about everything.
 Then one day as he was hopping along,
He saw an unfamiliar figure chanting a strange sounding song.
Who are you, he asked?
 As in a state of confusion, he basked.
 Oh, I am the cheerful matzo man, and I have a plan.
Let us visit the children on Easter Day and on Passover night.
And the bunny agreed saying that it was quite all right.
When the children saw the two of them laughing and full of glee,
Oh their gift was enthusiasm, happiness and energy.


Cynthia Groopman
Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

Copyright ©2006 Cynthia Groopman

 ~**~**~

 Easter Greetings

Cynthia Groopman

From the bottom of my heart,
Blessings for Easter, I fondly impart.
May your day be special and full of family joy and love,
May God renew your spirit and heart with His miracles from Heaven above.
May you always be my wonderful friend, so loyal and true,
And I sincerely and affectionately appreciate and love you.


Cynthia Groopman
Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net
Copyright ©2005 Cynthia L. Groopman

Readers Feedback

The Easter dress story  by Mariane Holbrook is wonderful!  As an artist and seamstress I know that especially dark colored fabrics are usually another color under their finished hue!  It is always a surprise to see what the manufacturer started the color with!!!  Quilters often use this to get subtle color changes for their projects!!

Hugs vona

 Re Enough is Enough    Thank you Chris .  I agree.  If one traces the records of these people, one almost always finds a pattern of repeated offenses.  I like the concept of one strike and you’re in---------------In prison that is  or let me forgive the offender as I take him behind the woodshed and shoot him.  These crimes dehumanize us. Does my anger justify my suggested response?                 Louise

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