Missouri Warrior Writers Project

July 25, 2011

At a recent workshop, I learned about an exciting project. The Missouri Warrior Writers Project, sponsored by the Missouri Humanities Council and the Missouri Writers Guild, will enable Missouri veterans at the Jefferson Barracks VA Hospital and other nearby facilities to write about their wartime experiences. These two organizations will conduct a series of four writing workshops led by Missouri poets and authors, alternating between poetry and creative non-fiction writing. The workshops will begin on August 4th and will last 4 weeks.

Kelli Allen is the director of development for this program. She explains that "writing and journaling are powerful healing tools, but the project goes beyond basic writing instruction to help facilitate real skill and passion on the page. The project also provides our military men and women an opportunity to have their narratives documented through the anthology, ensuring their stories will have a place in the literature of our times."

Submitted work accepted for publication will be compiled into an anthology and published on Armed Forces Day 2012. After this initial series of writing workshops, the goal is to organize similar Warrior Writers workshops at other veteran facilities across the country.

To find out more about the project, you can visit the project website: mowarriorwriters.wordpress.com/. Geoff Giglierano, the Executive Director of the Missouri Humanities Council, is also currently seeking donations of laptop computers for veterans to use. If you have one to donate, please contact him by email: geoff@mohumanities.org. Anyone interested in hosting a Warrior Writers workshop may contact Kelli Allen: kallen21046@yahoo.com .

Debbie A.
Blue Ridge Branch