Become a 2024 member today
Dear returning and new Friends,
Please help us continue our mission of promoting, preserving, and protecting the literary legacy of Theodore Roethke! This year, over 300 guests attended more than twenty events and tours at the Roethke and Stone houses led by 27 different writers, scholars, and artists. Another 300 logged in for eighteen online or hybrid events. We are achieving our vision of making the Roethke Campus a sought-after place for visitors from around the world, encouraging a culture of literary excellence.
Your support in 2023 has allowed us to:
Expand community access by launching a new website, hosting a weekly Writing Club, streaming events live from the Roethke House, and collaborating with new partners.
Invest in our Roethke collection by adding over thirty books and artifacts, and by developing a digital archive of over 900 Roethke-related documents.
Complete capital improvements to the Stone House, including work on electric, plumbing, porch stabilization, “critter” fortification, and bathroom framing.
Restoration of the Stone House has made significant progress, with more in the coming year. Soon, this unique community center will provide space for: additional poetry readings, writing workshops, summer classes, and poetry performance rehearsals; a Welcome Center with a permanent Roethke artifact exhibit and gift shop; and foundation office space. Eventually, the Stone House will provide housing for guest poets- and artists-in-residence on the second floor.
Our mission depends on your continued support. Please renew your membership today! As our thanks for renewing before the end of 2023, we’ll send you a little gift. You will also enjoy benefits including a discount in our online holiday store (through Dec 16), discounted tickets and tours, early bird access to limited-seating programs, and drop-in hours. Finally, you will also have access to our newly launched member website area with special content and features.
There is so much more to come in 2024. Keep an eye out for a calendar that includes our regular programming like the online Speaker Series featuring nationally known poets, artists, and scholars; writing workshops; summer literacy programming for kids; literary picnics; and our annual Open House. We are still finalizing details and funding, but plans are underway for:
A seven-workshop series called “The Four Temperaments,” February through April.
A three-day Roethke Poetry Retreat the first weekend in May.
The Saginaw Spoken Word Project, April through July.
A monthly webcast on poetry and wellness.
Expanded content in the Roethke member website area.
And one last exciting note: founder Annie Ransford has been awarded the 2024 MidAmerica Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Study of Midwestern Literature. The award will be presented at the annual Symposium of the Society for the Study of Midwestern Literature, which will take place May 28-30, 2024, in East Lansing, Michigan.
We are thankful to have such an active, creative group of members. We are also thankful to the many donors who support our programs, including the Michigan Humanities Council, the Michigan Arts and Cultural Council, the Saginaw Arts and Enrichment Center, the Saginaw Foundation, and the Michigan Nonprofit Relief Fund. They have granted over $50,000 toward the foundation’s capital improvement projects, operating budget, and event programming this year. Thanks to all of you, we remain committed to maintaining the Roethke Campus as a Saginaw attraction sitting at the unique juncture of public literary arts programming and historic building preservation. We can’t wait to share with you a new year of poetry, historic tours, Roethke memorabilia, and so much more.
Our thanks again,
Sherrin Frances and the entire Friends of Theodore Roethke Foundation board
