by John Paluta
November 16th is a day to celebrate our veterans at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Club! Author and Professor BJ Hollars (In association with the Chippewa Valley Writers Guild) will be exploring poetry and prose inspired by conflict with the event Of Verse and Valor: The American War Experience through Poetry and Prose.
The event is a reading for both veterans and non-veterans. All are welcome to listen and participate! Previously scheduled readers are invited to share any work that personally connects to them or their experiences.
The event itself stems from a series of events intended to commemorate US involvement with WWI, therefore several works about WWI will be read. But any related pieces are welcome, no matter what war or conflict they were inspired by.
According to event coordinator and Head of Special Collections, Greg Kocken, one of the things that stands out most is the venue. “This is something new, something different. There is an element of unknown to this event which excites me. When you think of a venue for a poetry event the University or The Local Store may jump out, but not the VFW. This is an opportunity to connect with a new audience, and that excites me.” Professor BJ Hollars adds that it’s a chance to “use art as an entry point into broader conversations related to America’s experiences with war, while also honoring those who’ve served.”
Mark your calendars for this showcase of the power of words! Stop on by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Club November 16th at 6pm! Click here for the Facebook invite.
Sponsored by McIntyre Library and UW-Eau Claire, Chippewa Valley Writers Guild, Student Veterans of America—UWEC Chapter, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, and the Chippewa Valley Museum. These programs are part of World War I and America, a two-year national initiative of the Library of America presented in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the National World War I Museum and Memorial, and other organizations, with generous support from the National Endowment for the Humanities