The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.
—Carol Ryrie Brink
Thank You Stranger!
Saturday, I shopped for supplies for our Memoir Monday program. I waited in line behind a woman with a very full cart of items. I was only half paying attention to what was going on in front of me, thinking about the work day ahead and what other errands I needed to run. The woman paid with a gift card, using all but five dollars.
She handed the card to me, “Here.” “Excuse me?” “I’m not going to use it. I won’t be back here.” “Thank you,” I said hesitantly. It took me a minute to shake out of my thoughts and into the reality of the situation. “Actually, I’m shopping for a non-profit organization, so this is a donation.” She asked what kind of organization and when I explained Write On’s work, she smiled broadly. “I love that. I’m a teacher and that just makes my heart happy.”
Not Much, But Oh So Much
Five dollars may not seem like much. It was the gesture: a stranger giving to a stranger; then the discovery of what that gesture meant — helping an organization that supports reading and writing, something dear to the giver’s heart.
That woman had no idea what was in my cart — two dozen composition books for participants in our creative labs, three-ring binders for the volunteer facilitators. Occupied as I was with adding items to my mental checklist for the day, I might have never mentioned the mission of my errand. But I did, and she responded enthusiastically.
Happy Hearts
Write On’s work and the fact that her small gesture was helping us out, made this stranger’s heart happy. The small interaction and being the recipient of an unexpected kindness made my heart happy. And though I can’t be sure, I believe that the person behind me in line and the store clerk, who overheard this exchange, felt some happiness as well. These days, such moments are to be truly treasured.
While I doubt that she would read this, to the woman who shopped at the Sturgeon Bay Target around 9 am Saturday, September 27, thank you! That five dollars has gone much farther than you could ever imagine.
–Jerod Santek, Founding & Artistic Director, Write On, Door County
The Kindness of Strangers and of Friends
Only a few seats remain open for Power of the Pen: Write On’s annual fundraising gala. Show your support and share in the community of readers and writers who make our hearts happy! Dinner by Thyme Catering and a keynote talk by journalist and novelist Maggie Ginsberg. Reserve your seat now by clicking here.
Upcoming Classes & Events
The Art of Brevity 2025 with Robin Sauerwein
Saturdays, October 11 – November 1, 10 am – noon Central ONLINE
Local Authors Discuss: Writing Family Stories with Janis Falk, Corey Geiger, and Estella Lauter
Saturday, October 11, 10 am
Creative Writing from Found Materials: Using Personal and Collected Archives to Spark Imagination with Beth Mayer
Tuesday, October 14, 9 am – noon
Family Story Time with V.T. Bidania
Tuesday, October 28, 4 pm
A Race to the Finish: Drafting Your Story Fast with Toya Wolfe
Monday, November 10 – Friday, November 14, 9 am – noon
The Art of Telling True Stories with Paula Carter
Monday, November 10 – Friday, November 14, 1 – 4 pm
WriteCon25 Registration Now Open!
WriteCon25 is a one-day creative experience for middle-school and high-school aged writers. Students will discover different forms of writing including science fiction, collage and erasure poetry, writing for podcasts, ekphrasis, nature writing, and writing the college application essay.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8: 9:30 am – 3:30 pm
at MUSE Sturgeon Bay and Door Community Foundation, downtown Sturgeon Bay
Free Ongoing Programs for Readers and Writers
Memoir Mondays
The 1st – 4th Mondays of every month, 10 am – 11 am
A one-hour creative lab intended for seniors but open to all who want to write their life stories.
- First Monday: at the Aging & Disability Resource Center, Sturgeon Bay, and at Serenity Springs, Sister Bay.
- Second Monday: Community Center, Washington Island.
- Third Monday: Write On, Door County.
- Fourth Monday: Hope Church, Sturgeon Bay.
Fun & Games—Literally
First Sunday of every month, noon – 2 pm; drop in anytime
Bring family and friends to enjoy a variety of literary- and word-inspired games and puzzles! Did you know?: The games and puzzles are available for you to enjoy anytime we are open!
Socrates Cafe
Second and fourth Thursdays of every month, 9 am – noon
We use open conversation, big listening, and a lot of empathy to explore life’s big questions.
Readers’ Cafe
Third Sunday of every month, 11 am
Meet other book lovers and discover new titles to read in this informal and fun book discussion!
What’s Your Story?: Prose Open Mic
Fourth Sunday of every month, 2 – 4 pm
Share new works of fiction or essays in a supportive environment. Hosted by Tony Smith and Kathleen Harris. Ten-minute reading limit.
Art/Speaks
Various Fridays, 11 am – noon
Take inspiration from visual art for poems and stories. Led by Door County Poets Laureate Peter and Carrie Sherrill and held at various art galleries and museums. Check our calendar for details.
A Look Back at the Literary Festival
The 13th Annual Washington Island Literary Festival was a great success! We had near-record attendance with approximately 140 people taking part over the three days. Our featured presenters, shown here left to right William Kent Krueger, Dionne Irving, Nickolas Butler, Heather Swan, and Marcia Bjornerud, gave wonderful workshops and presentations.
Mark you calendars now for the 2026 festival: Thursday – Saturday, September 17-19. The theme for the festival is “Belonging” and poet Erika Meitner and novelist Jane Hamilton are already signed on as presenters. This year, many people found it challenging to find a place to stay for the full festival. We encourage you to secure your housing as soon as possible.
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