Storyteller
“I grew up with a storytelling grandma who gave all of us grandkids a harmonica when we were young and that’s been part of my heritage,” said Gwynn Ramsey, storyteller and demonstrator at Apple Day.
Ramsey has been storytelling for over 35 years, and will be telling a variety of stories throughout the day on Oct. 10.
“I may do poetry,” said Ramsey. “I love nature poetry and some of the poetry is centered around animals.”
Ramsey is a self-taught storyteller using body language and various facial expressions.
“I have picked up stories that I like very much and I add them to my gristmill of stories,” said Ramsey. “You can use story telling in any venue. I do stories for civic groups, public schools, churches, church fellowships, and community festivals. Stories are enjoyed by people in practically every venue you can think of.”
Ramsey plans to educate and entertain people at Apple Day who stop by to who hear stories and hear about what the times were like in frontier days and earlier colonial days. He will be doing stories with his country harmonica and he also sings A Capella. Some stories are 250 to 300 years old.
Sponsors for Apple Day include: State Farm Insurance, Alleghany Regional Hospital, Dixie Gas & Oil Corporation, Seibel Heavy Equipment Repair Inc., Owen’s Pharmacy, Highlands Community Bank, and Clifton Forge Wholesale Food.
Appalachian Author
Listen to tales about families in the 1920s living in the mountains, and enjoy looking through some antique items.
Helen Groves Hedrick, a popular Appalachian author, has written several children’s books and her last two consist of mountain heritage.
Hedrick started writing in 1998 while during the same time period she was under going cancer.
“I would have never taken the time to write if I hadn’t been knocked down to do it,” said Hedrick.
Hedrick’s books consists of good values for children such as honesty. She sold 2500 copies of her first book and since then she has written five more. She plans on doing some fun activities with children during Apple Day and bringing some antique items to show and tell with.
Sponsors for Apple Day include: State Farm Insurance, Alleghany Regional Hospital, Dixie Gas & Oil Corporation, Seibel Heavy Equipment Repair Inc., Owen’s Pharmacy, Highlands Community Bank, and Clifton Forge Wholesale Food.
For more information about Douthat State Park or other outdoor activities encouraging us to Get Outside, click here