Get wild…for free
January 24, 2009
St. Charles
Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009 is the kick-off day for February activities centering on “Call of the Wild” and The Big Read. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. at the Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center in St. Charles, with local dignitaries introducing “Call of the Wild” and The Big Read.
At 1:30 p.m., “Klondike Mike” with the Gateway Sled Dog Club, will introduce a group of sled dogs and talk about the different breeds and their jobs on the sleds. He will also give a presentation about his adventures in Alaska.
Area Boy Scouts will present information about their organization and share outdoor camping and survival information. The St. Charles City/County Library District will be on hand to distribute information and free bookmarks.
At 3 p.m., the Symphony Society of St. Charles County will present a musical program featuring two original works by Missouri composers, Kirt Mosier and John Cheetham.
All kick-off activities are free and open to the public. For a complete listing of both the Foundry Art Centre and the St. Charles City/County Library District’s schedule of events, please visit www.foundryartcentre.org.
The Big Read is supported by the following sponsors: Friends of the St. Charles City/County Library; Hazelwood Weber, LLC, Attorneys at Law; St. Charles Arts & Culture Commission; Ameren UE; Santolubes, George and Dianne Garrison; and the City of Cottleville, MO.
Background Information:
The Foundry Art Centre received a grant from the National Endowment of the Arts to host The Big Read, a national initiative to promote literary reading. The Big Read will take place in St. Charles and surrounding communities beginning February 1, 2009 and continuing throughout the entire month.
To ensure better community participation, the Foundry Art Centre, in partnership with St. Charles City/County Library District, has developed programs and activities centering on the selected novel, Call of the Wild, by author Jack London. The National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with Arts Midwest, a regional arts organization based in Minneapolis, provided nationwide participating communities organizational guides, reader’s guides and technical assistance to facilitate and implement The Big Read on a local level.
Activities simultaneous with reading Call of the Wild will take place the entire month of February 2009 and include a read-out-loud marathon with local celebrities and community leaders, a film series, book-making workshops, book discussions and a tour of the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center.
The Foundry Art Centre is a fine arts gallery overlooking the Missouri River at 520 North Main Center, in the Frenchtown district of Historic St. Charles. The Foundry features a Smithsonian-caliber art gallery hosting national juried exhibitions plus 20 working artist studios where visitors can watch the creative process and buy art directly from the artists. The not-for-profit art centre also provides community meeting rooms, event space and a children’s art gallery. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free and donations are welcome. For more information, call 636-255-0270 for visit www.foundryartcentre.org.
Copyright 2009 Neighbors About Town