The premiere presentation of our new storytelling program, GRANDMA GATEWOOD: OHIO'S LEGENDARY HIKER took place on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. at the Westlake Community Services Center to a sold out audience who enjoyed hearing about Emma's life. Buckeye Trail Association members Patrick and Mary Hayes were present and e-mailed back to say they enjoyed the presentation and sent the picture above of Peter Huston (videographer), Bette Lou Higgins (storyteller), and Patrick Hayes. This program was paid for by a generous grant from the National Storytelling Network. Additional research and planning was funded by the Buckeye Trail Association and the Ohio Humanities Council. To arrange for a performance for your group, contact Eden Valley directly.

Audience comments:

Pat & Mary Hayes, from the Buckeye Trail Association e-mailed:

Dear Betty Lou,

Thank you very much for inviting Mary and me to the premier presentation of the Emma "Grandma" Gatewood story. We were impressed at the depth of research that went into creating your presentation and we learned facts about Grandma that we had never heard before. We are eagerly awaiting the next stage of the Grandma Gatewood project, a first-person character program. Keep up the good work.

Pat and Mary Hayes

Read the BTA Newsletter Article about the program.

Sue Butts e-mailed: "The Grandma Gatewood program is entertaining, enlightening, and wholly enjoyable. The narrative clearly presents Grandma's experiences on and off the Appalachian Trail and provides a look at the life of a remarkable woman. ... I could go on. It's a terrific program."

From Jo Davis e-mailed: "May her story get the notice deserved. And the funding needed."