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Hempstead Town seniors hit stage for ‘Words from the Workshop’

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The creative Bernice Busch, light-hearted David Stayer, and “Limerick King” Mike Hertz joined 12 of their fellow seniors under the spotlight at the Merrick Theater and Center for the Arts on a rainy Wednesday afternoon to present “Words from the Workshop,” the finished products of this year’s Merrick Senior Center’s Creative Writing Workshop.

Merrick’s own Paula Rodenas led the program, which covered memoirs, poetry, prose, and vignettes, or mini-plays on June 8.

“I think it went very well this year,” said Rodenas, who has led the workshop for more than 20 years. “I think everybody was very prolific, and also they are writing better and better each year. It’s possible for seniors to improve. They sure are.”

This year’s program featured works by Busch, Stayer, Hertz, Cecilia Tumminello De Lusco, Ann Filippelli, Florence Gatto, Rosemarie Godfrey, Helene Hahn, Diane Kopitowsky, Stephen Loomis, Howard Nacht, Patti Nacht, Gladys Respress, Joel Schatzberg and Hazel Marie Watson, all of whom gathered at the Merrick Senior Center for 16 Wednesdays from 1 to 3 p.m. to hone their craft.

Their subject matter ranged from knee-slapping limericks and cinquains, or stylized, five-verse poems, to teary memories of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Much of the writing, however, expressed the challenges of growing older.

For Busch, a regular in the course, inspiration can come from many places. “It’s daily living, it’s situations, it’s people, it’s subject matter that’s given to us through the course,” Busch explained. “I feel very accomplished and very inspired. It keeps a kind of mental acuity that you don’t get in other ways.”

Following the performance, participants and audience members gathered for an informal coffee hour, at which audience members asked questions and provided feedback over refreshments.

“I think it’s a source of pride to the community because it’s amazing that we have this many talented writers,” said Rodenas in between sips of coffee.

“I think it gives the community an opportunity to meet seniors on a different level,” said Busch, as she attended to a crowd of interested audience members, “recognize that they have ability, intelligence and maturity, and a realization that, although you may feel age can interfere with some of your lifelong situations, this kind of a program inspires you to continue to spread your wings and be who and what you want to be, or maybe what you never thought you could be.”

Much of the writing from the workshop will be featured in the annual journal “Musings of Maturity,” which is published each fall. However, the writers don’t intend to just sit around and wait. In fact, many of the writers are already excited to get to work next year.

“It helps creativity, it’s very good for you mentally, it’s great socially, and I just have a lot of enjoyment from the program,” said Busch. “I had a realization that I could do more than I thought I could ¬¬ hat I have a creative ability that I never tacked before.”

The workshop is sponsored by Poets and Writers, Inc. and the Town of Hempstead Department of Senior Enrichment.