STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

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Oct 24, 2005? 

The Halloween Contest starts tomorrow.?  We have some really good entries this year and I hope that everyone of you, will vote.?  Every member of Storytime Tapestry is eligible to vote.

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Today??™s Announcements:

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? To all;

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Here is the time and where to go if you would like to listen to my radio

interview with Kevin and? Global talk radio.

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Richard D. Sims

Whispers / Global Talk Radio <whispers@globaltalkradio.com> wrote:

From: "Whispers / Global Talk Radio" <whispers@globaltalkradio.com>
To: "'Richard Sims'" <armaksman@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: Interview
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2005 20:45:52 -0700

Dear Richard,

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Just wanted to give you the heads-up??¦?  Your interview is scheduled to appear in next week??™s program (Tuesday 10/25/05 at 11pm ET / 8pm PT).?  Moreover, the archive will be available for you and your friends to listen to on-demand whenever you like for at least 3 months, starting about 24 hours after the show airs for the first time.

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Thank you for being part of Whispers!!

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- Kevin

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Hi? ? ? ? ? ? ? 

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Carol I was hoping that you would share this with the members of Story Time Tapestry so they can enjoy my interview with Diva Melba Moore. All they have to do is simply click on her name MELBA MOORE? . If anyone is interested in an interview simply email me at poetnwrite@yahoo.com for more info.

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Regards

Nicole Stevenson

Radio Host First Cut

www.artistfirst.com airs

Monday at 7pm est

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Now on to the good stuff..........

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Today's Queue Stories
~**~**~**~

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Nickel Candy Bar

Bill Walker

wildbill6807@yahoo.com

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I remember when? a good candy bar cost a nickel, a real good candy bar cost a dime. And those lasted for a few bites, not like to days candy bar which sells for at least fifty cents. I remember a sack of candy for a quarter. You had enough candy to last for maybe a week, unless.?  The?  unless would be in a weak minute, you thought that little darling next door, you could make a move on. You let her get a paw in the sack.?  She not only got a paw in, she had?  a mouth full, and both paws full. Little Witch, she grew up to be a? big Witch, name of Teri. All you got out of the deal, that is when she got the mouth full taken care of was a giggle.

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Lay all jokes aside.?  I got it in church other day about? saving? money. It always seems funny to me about how preachers talk about money.? Now I think it is nice for a person to save money. A penny saved is a penny earned, is that the old Ben Franklin saying? It might have been in Ben Franklin's day.?  Now I know that ten pennies do make a dime, hundred pennies you have a dollar. I remember as a boy back there in the 40s.. Making a five dollar bill working from 8 in the morning to 10 that night. Oh I got time off to eat, so take off a couple hours. Then I saved all but 50 cents maybe. But I learned something too. Seems like in about 4 weeks I had saved up 18 dollars and 50 cents. Guess what, something happened and I had to dig in the sock, and what I needed took every blasted cent,? plus I had to asked dad for a dollar.?  Dad said now that your working making spending money, it is time for you to buy some of your needs.?  I think that meant I had needs, and if I took care of the needs, like undies and such, be less to spent on some Baby Doll. And every one knows there is no Baby Doll going to take a second look at a poor boy. It just don't happen to often.?  That Witch I spoke? of while ago, now is digging for Stover's with nuts.?  And you can't buy a box of that for less then a dollar 25. And she screams Bill you could have super sized it for another dollar. Darn Witch.? 

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Now I know some do and can seem to save the 10% the man spoke of.?  He said you must give the church 10%, save 10% and have the rest to spend on needs and Baby Doll. You know that is a good idea, but for most it don't work.?  There is another thing the man don't take in account of.?  The pennies, nickels and dimes saved in the 40s, 50s ,and 60s, buys zero today.?  That nickel candy bar you enjoyed in a weak sweet tooth attack back then, don't buy you the candy wrapper today. I was in a place other day, and was having a hunger attack.? Thought well I can get a candy bar out of that machine, and next to it is a pop machine. I stopped at the candy machine first. Looked at? the line up of different bars of candy.?  I walked back and sat down. It would have cost 2 bucks for a nickel candy bar and a? nickel pop.? 

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You know at the rate things are going, it may be not to long in coming. A nickel candy bar and a nickel pop, will kill a 5 dollar bill, That is if you took Baby Doll out. Glad I didn't have her along the other day, she would have been looking for the machine with Stover's with nuts.

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I was going to tell you about the real? Baby Doll I knew when I was about 15, going 16.?  Then I remembered I told about her in the Missouri Sage stories. Well she was a pure home grown Missouri Dollie.?  A real hummer. She could start a poor boys motor.

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Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

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~**~**~? 

Whatever happened to so and so?

Sharon Bryant

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I don't think many of us can say that at some time in our lives, we haven't thought about that first love.?  I know I have.?  I've often wondered if he's still alive, what he ended up doing for a living, how many kids did he have.

I sometimes thought of that guy who wooed me off my feet when I was 17.?  The one with the ice blue eyes and gorgeous blond hair.?  All these years, every so often, he would pop up in my mind.?  A song would play and it would take me back in time.

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This past winter I was messing around with the computer.?  Someone told me I could find anyone I wanted? to. They gave me a site to go to.?  I looked up the state I used to live in, and all these towns popped up.?  One caught my attention.?  Twin Lakes.?  Suddenly, I remembered a friend I had years ago who lived there.?  I thought to myself, "Gee, I wonder if it's possible.....could she still be in the area?"

I typed in her name and lo and behold, she did have her phone number listed.

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She used to live near the guy I used to date.?  He lived in the next town, and just for the heck of it, I typed in his name in that town.?  Five people showed up with the same name.?  They had addresses and phone numbers.?  I sat at the computer screen and played 'eeny meeny miney moe'.......and said to myself, "Could it be possible??  Is one of these HIM?"

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I told myself I'd dial the first phone number and if it wasn't him, I'd just forget it.?  I dialed.

A man answered.?  I said, "Is this David?"?  He said, "Yes, who is this?"?  I said, "Is your last name Burdock?"?  He said, "Yes, WHO is this?"?  I said, "Let me ask the questions."

I said, "Is your birthday Jan. 3, 1948?"?  He sucked his breath in and said "YES.....what's this all about and WHO is this?"?  I again said, "Let me ask the questions."? 

I said, "Your mom's name Mary and your father's name Dean?"?  "YES, he said."?  "Now what's this all about and who is this and what do you want?"

I decided then to let him know.?  So I said, "Was your best friend's name Gene Dunbar?"?  He sort of yelled at that question and said, "YES........how do you know that...........WHO is this?"

I replied... "I was his first wife."

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And then I heard yet envisioned in my mind as he took this big breath and it caught, and I wondered, good grief, have I caused a heart attack??  He said one word.?  "Sharon."

I laughed and said, "You remember me?"?  He replied, "Remember you...... you were my future, you were my life."?  (I thought that was a little too dramatic, ya know)

Then he said, "Are you married?"?  I said, "Yes."

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I said, "So how you been for the last 40 some years?"?  He didn't answer that question, instead said, "Will you have lunch with me?"?  I laughed and said, "Ah, that might be a problem."?  (We always lived 185 miles apart even when I lived in Michigan.)?  I replied, "I'm a little ways from you, too far to meet for lunch."?  He said, "I'll drive, it doesn't matter how far you are."?  I said, "You want to drive to Alabama from Michigan for lunch?"

He said, "You're joking, right?"?  "Nope, honest engine, I moved south many years ago."

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Then he said, "I've been divorced for over twenty years, and I'm dating this woman now.?  Two weeks ago I took her up to Lake Michigan to where we used to walk along the shoreline.?  I had this portable radio on, and your and my song began to play.?  Do you remember what song it was?"?  I said, "I sure do.........I'll meet you in September."?  I shut my eyes and was taken back to long ago walking along the beach with him, the wind blowing our hair, talking about the engagement, the future wedding planned.?  Life was grand and we were happy.

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"Give me your phone number." he said.?  "Ah, I don't think that would be a good idea." I told him.

"Will your husband get upset if I come to Alabama to see you?"? ?  (That one sort of surprised me)

"No he's not the jealous type, but I think it's a long way to come, you know." I replied.

He then told me he has a son who lives in Texas and he could swing by Alabama on his way to visit him in August.?  I told him I worked all the time and don't get much free time.

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He asked if I'd write him and would I send him a photo of myself.?  I thought, "Oh no, he'll go into shock.?  Gone is my auburn hair replace with flecks of gray.?  Gone is that figure I had at 17.?  And then he said, "Do you still have those green eyes?"?  "Yes, that's the one thing that never changed," I told him.

He asked for my address which I gave him.?  Never dreaming he'd write.......but he did.?  He sent me a photo of himself with his 9 grandchildren.?  I thought to myself, "my my, did he ever turn out to be a busy little bee after we split up."

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I looked at the photo.?  Gone was that thick head of blond hair.?  But what he had left, was still blond with gray.?  I looked into his eyes......still ice blue.?  I smiled as I recalled four years of my life having the time of my life with the funniest guy I'd ever dated in those days.

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He wrote me two letters.?  He even wrote a poem about our lives as teenagers.?  I remembered everything.

He told me he'd had a heart attack five years ago but was doing ok.

I wrote him back and told him this would be the only letter I would write, that the reason for the call was just to find out, what he'd done with his life, if he was happy and if he was still here on earth.? 

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I told hubby about it.? ?  I asked him if he ever thought about the one he fell for the first time when he was younger.?  He replied, "I can't even recall who I dated first."? ?  Ah.....so much for old romantic stories from a guy!

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Looking back now I can truthfully say it was worth making that phone call.?  It was fun.?  And for just a few moments on that phone, I was 17 again.?  I could see myself walking along the shores of Lake Michigan, picking up sea shells.?  I even remembered the time he and I jumped off the lighthouse one time, holding hands and me screaming my head off and him say, "I'll save you if you get scared."?  I remembered my mom always saying, "If you and he ever marry, I'm going to have some cute grandkids."

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But life didn't go that way for me.?  We drifted apart when a war was raging in Viet Nam.?  I went on to marry his military friend and David married someone from his school.?  We took separate paths in our lives.?  But I do know one thing.?  He still had memories of a beautiful time of his life, the same as I do.?  I'll always cherish the good times we had.?  The wonderful parents he had and all those brothers and sister, 12 total.

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After all these years, I finally got the answer to the question I thought of every so often.?  What ever happened to so and so.

Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

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About Me:

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I am Sharon Bryant,? 59 years old and reside in Alabama.

I lost my child in 1977 when he was five and I write
articles on bereavement often.

I am a chocolate/candy maker and also a wood crafter and knitter.

I am married to a wonderful man, and have two remaining children, a daughter 25,
Amy, and a second son, Randy, age 22.

My main goal in life is to help those who
have lost a child. My website is: www.angelsremembered.tk

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Engagement

Christina Hymes

No, I do not mean the ring on finger and guy getting down on one knee. The standard old fashion plea; I??™m talking about the holding hands, going to the mall, taking strolls, and dancing all night long. I'm talking engage-ment. What a wonderful word. When a couple says they are engaged, why can't they say "we are getting married", or "we are committed". But engagement is such a good, solid, right there in your face word. "Look at my ring, I am engaged!"

Sweetie, why don't you just say "Look at this diamond stud, it's huge!" Us girlfriends are happy that you are getting married and you are committed, but we are going to envy you for your ring. Our man has to beat it, there's no way around it.?  In the quest for the perfect biggest flashiest ring, somehow the commitment behind engagement has gone astray.

Engagement is "A promise or agreement to be at a particular place at a particular time". Whether that is a meeting, a date, a trip to the mall, going to work, or even watching T.V. You are devoting that time to something and you are engaged in activity. By the time one is done engaging, your soul is screaming for more or running for the door. Those bad blind dates your friends send you on because they are trying to help. Bah hum bug, thanks for the thought guys but I'm kicking him to the curb and I'm out the door. End of engagement. It's that quick. You just got to say the words "Done, over with, bye, good night, adios."?  Was there really an engagement in the true sense of the word there, or was it just a passing fancy?

At my older sister's wedding, we walked over a bridge to the gazebo. That bridge was the end of their engagement, they were committed. They took the big step. Of course she could have turned around and said "No", but that??™s what life is all about. We can back out of an engagement faster than you can back out of your driveway. Why do they call it a drive way, you don't drive on it?

? Engagement is an interesting word. Have you noticed "Gag" is right in the middle? Or take out one "G" and put in a "C" and you have "Cage". It says warning all over it. Unless of course you are engaged in something you enjoy.

Now, I am not putting down engagements. There are good things that from being engaged: Finding the one you love, winning a game, a promotion, new car, having children. The list goes on and on. It??™s just how you look at it.

And when you find the right one to be engaged as a couple, it is no longer engaged to but engaged with for the rest of your life, each new life??™s event, birth of a child, new school, new job, new home because a new and wonderful engagement.

Christina Hymes
CDRC Marketing Assistant
hymc0001@unf.edu

Christina Hymes was born in Bethesda, Maryland on March 4th, 1986. She grew up
with her older sister, twin, and younger sister. In 2002, the family moved to Jacksonville Florida where upon she finished high school in 2004, eight in her
class.
She now attends the University of North Florida and will be majoring in
Nursing and minoring in English. Christina writes on her free time. Her work
is a collaboration of poems that deal with her life and the events around her.

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~**~**~

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ValueSpeak

A Weekly Column

By Joseph Walker

valuespeak@msn.com

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REDUCING GAS PAINS

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  I just want to express my profound apologies to everyone in America for the sudden dramatic increase in gasoline prices.?  It??™s my fault.?  And I??™m sorry.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  At the very least, I should have warned you that this was coming.?  I should have known that as soon as I drove 2,000 miles away from home OPEC would decide that the time was right to increase the cost of a barrel of crude oil so . . . well, you know . . . crudely.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Think of it as the Walker Index of Key Economic Indicators: the price of gas will unavoidably increase in direct proportion to my family??™s distance from home.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  So we drove one-way across America paying an average of about $2.39 per gallon of gasoline.?  Five days later we will drive home for an average of about $2.65 per gallon, Congressional investigation notwithstanding.?  If I??™m doing my math correctly, that means it will cost us 16 cents more per gallon to look at corn.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Which isn??™t a knock on corn.?  I love corn.?  It??™s my favorite vegetable ??“ especially popped.?  And I??™m grateful to see it growing in such overwhelming abundance across America??™s heartland.?  But I??™m not sure I want to pay 16 cents more per gallon to see it for the second time in a week.

You know?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  And yet I??™ll pay it.? ?  I don??™t have any choice at this point unless I want to homestead here.?  But it will cost me more than 16 cents per gallon to move our stuff and set up housekeeping ??“ not to mention the job thing ??“ so we??™ll grit our teeth, tighten our belts and pay.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  My son, Joe, points out that $2.65 for a gallon of gasoline is, comparatively speaking, a bargain.?  Not only does gasoline cost more in other countries, but other liquids cost more per gallon in this country.?  For example, Joe suggests that many of those who will be complaining about gasoline prices at gas stations all over the country this week will be doing so while holding a 32-ounce soda for which they just paid 99 cents at the convenience store ??“ or a rate of just under $4 per gallon.?  Or maybe they??™ll be holding a 20-ounce bottle of water for which they just paid $1.09, or a rate of more than $6 per gallon.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  And we won??™t even talk about the comparative price per gallon for laundry detergent, dish soap, orange juice, Gatorade or beer. I??™m not a beer-drinker, but I understand people will pay three bucks for a 20-ounce cup of beer at a ball game, which works out to about $18 per gallon.?  Why isn??™t Congress investigating THAT?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  None of which will make anyone feel any better about the sudden dramatic increase in the cost of gasoline during the past week.?  It??™s a hard hit ??“ there??™s no denying that.?  It isn??™t fair.?  But what are you going to do about it?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Whenever I would whine and complain about one of the inequities of life that inevitably came my way while I was growing up, Mom would just as inevitably counter with a shrug and very little sympathy.?  ???Nobody ever said life was going to be fair,??? she would say.?  ???Either do something about it or get out of the way.???

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  I don??™t like that idea any more now than I liked it then ??“ especially the ???get out of the way??? part.?  But what can I do about the cost of gas??  I haven??™t been invited to any negotiation sessions with OPEC, and when I try to dicker with 20-something gas station attendants they look at me like I??™m from another planet ??“ or worse, like I??™m old.?  About the only thing I can do, it seems to me, is to look at my fuel consumption choices and make whatever changes I can make ??“ like carpooling, taking mass transit or telecommuting ??“ to reduce gas pains.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Of course, before I can do that we have about 2,000 miles to ???get out of the way.???

Not to mention a whole lot of corn.

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Writers Feedback

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Carol, "I Remember" is a lovely piece.?  It is good to keep the good memories even though they can often be followed by sorrow.?  As Kahlil Gibran wrote "Joy is your sorrow unmasked."?  Nice writing.? ?  Gabrielle.

Carol,

That was really good today. I loved it all. and especially Is it Love? Oh did that make me think.

Carol, I loved your story about Tony, oh that was so touching. How real you made him feel to me. I am eager to find out what happened. I tried the? Amazon? book search and could not find it. I would like to buy it. How sweet you made your relationship sound. God bless you.?  I will write more soon, seems I have suffered a mild tia recently.?  Will be back soon hopefully dancin' and singin' and mostly writing to my heart's content.? 

love and hugs,

Nanci

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Carol ??“ I remember - Wonderful story!?  It?  surely paints the portrait of contradictions which may come in wrapped packages.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  Louise

Dear Carol,

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What a beautiful story from the heart.?  As always I enjoy your writings and sharings...Leona

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Carol,

? ? ?  What beautiful memories of a loving relationship.?  Your skills as a writer continue to grow and grow.?  You make us feel like we are right there with you sharing your life.?  Wishing you every joy, Joe

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I like your story, I remember,?  Carol.?  I am a sucker for romanticism!

Thanks for sharing...?  Love, Barbara

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Prayer Requests and Updates

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? SENIOR WRITERS

Chief Writer: Sharon Bryant

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? Agee, Vance;? Apted, Violet;? Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al;?  Berry, Nell; Blaine, Pamela

Boda, Ginger;? ? Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.;?  Cavalera, Robyn; Crider, Mark;? 

Deming, Barb; Doherty, Maria; Goodier, Steve; Halley, Ellie Braun;

Harris, Kathy Anne;? Hunt, Sharlette;? 

Jacobson, Gary;? Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Jenkins, Pamela;

Liles, Norma; Lilly, Jodi Flesberg; Lock, Joyce; Mazzella, Joe;? Ojeigbe, Georgewaters;

?  Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan;?  Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Streidel, Saskia; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan

Walker, Bill; Walker, Joe;? Warner, Gorden K; Walsh, Sue

Whirity, Kathy;? White, Robert;

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STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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