I’m looking forward to participating in Children’s Book Week with readings at Main Elementary School in Beavercreek on Friday and with a booth and reading at the First Annual Children’s Literature Festival at Memorial Park in St. Marys, Ohio, on Saturday. I’ll be there from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. My reading and talk will be at 12:30 in the Gazebo. If you’re in the area, stop in and say “hi”!

I attended a very enjoyable, moving, and inspirational concert last night put on by the Beavercreek, Ohio, Main Street Elementary choir. With the theme “Sow it on the Mountain” and artwork created by the students, the concert raised money for Heifer International. Between each song, the students narrated bits of Heifer International history and current work. Kudos to choir director Anita Campbell and the Main Street Pizzazz students!

I just learned that Better World Books closed their store in Goshen, Indiana, March 30. So sad. We need to keep the Independent Bookstores alive!

Peggy Reiff Miller will be a keynote speaker at the Church of the Brethren National Older Adult Conference at Lake Junaluska Conference Center, Thursday, September 7. Her 70-minute illustrated talk on “Delivering Hope to the Next Generation” will be live streamed at 10:30 a.m. at http://www.brethren.org/Inspiration2017. The talk will give the back story of how she became the documenter of the seagoing cowboy history, the legacy of the seagoing cowboys and the Heifer Project, and the importance of continuing to deliver hope to the next generation.