“The Underdogs” will be the subject of book discussions and programs taking place at area libraries, schools and other venues during the Big Read in March and April 2018. The book tells the story of Karen Shirk who, as a 24-year-old suffering from an immobilizing neuromuscular disease, raised her own service dog — a German shepherd named Ben. Today, Shirk’s service dog academy, 4 Paws for Ability, is the largest organization whose primary mission is to place service dogs with children, and has no minimum age requirement. 4 Paws also works with veterans who have lost the use of limbs or their hearing while in active combat.
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“I’m thrilled to learn that ‘The Underdogs’ was voted the next Big Read!,” Melissa tells me. “I’ve missed flying constantly to Dayton to stay with my brother and sister-in-law (Garry and Mindy Greene of Oakwood) and to spend time in Xenia with Karen Shirk and the amazing trainers, families, and dogs of 4 Paws for Ability. I hope the Big Read will alert many more folks to the presence of this world-class service-dog-school in the neighborhood, to which military veterans and families with children with disabilities travel from all over the world.”
Co-chair of the Big Read project is Ben Murphy, who says “everyone is looking forward to the book discussions and other programs related to the book and its themes.”
A two-time National Book Award nominee, Greene weaves the latest scientific discoveries with Karen’s story and the stories of children with disabilities and their families. The book explores our attachment to dogs, what constitutes a productive life, and what can be accomplished with unconditional love.
Melissa was born in Macon, Ga., and moved to Dayton in 1959 just a week before starting first grade at Shiloh School. She graduated from Meadowdale High School in 1971 and attended Oberlin College. “Still in touch with lots of old friends from Shiloh and Meadowdale,” says the author of six nonfiction books, including “Praying for Sheetrock” (1991) and “There is No Me Without You: One Woman’s Odyssey to Rescue Her Country’s Children” (2006). She lives in Atlanta with her husband and children.
For more information on the Big Read, visit BigRead.org or call (937) 463-2665. A schedule of book discussions and other Big Read events will be added in January.
Boonshoft Museum hosts free science festival
The Dayton Regional Science Festival will be held at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18. The program is one of the Boonshoft’s quarterly free-admission days featuring science programs and activities. The idea is to make STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical) interesting and fun for all ages.
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“The Festival allows children, families, and teachers to celebrate science in an exciting atmosphere,” says Dawn Kirchner, the museum’s vice president of education. Museum educators and representatives from 20 community partners will offer a day of fun, STEMM immersion, family interaction and programming.
Highlights of the Super Science Saturday expo for families include “The Guitar Man Does Science” by Jim McCutcheon; “Curious George Goes to Mars” in the Planetarium; “The Science of Horizon Alpha: Dinosaurs on Different Worlds” by Wendy Vogel; ” Experimental Archaeology” and “Mr. C’s Hair-Raising Science by Mr. C.”
Visitors can also experience “Beyond Earth: The Exploration of Space,” a new science exhibition that investigates the mysteries of the universe through the use of visuals and interactives. The new exhibition shares information about the places we’ve explored in space and some we’re planning on investigating in the future.
Food trucks vendors on site will be McNasty’s and 13 North Coffee.
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The museum is located at 2600 DeWeese Parkway in Dayton. For more information and a specific schedule: http://boonshoftmuseum.org/events-activities/dayton-regional-science-festival/
DCDC dancers will work with kids
Here’s an opportunity for children to get up-close-and-personal with dancers from the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. In anticipation of the troupe’s performces of “The Littlest Angel,” dancers will be making three local apperanaces on Saturday, Nov. 18.
“We’ll be at Barnes & Noble at 11 a.m., the Northwest Library at 12:30 p.m. and Books & Co. at The Greene at 2 p.m.,” says the organization’s Audrey Ingram. “Dancers will read with the children, do some creative movement and do a paper craft with them at each location.
“The Littlest Angel” will be performed by DCDC at the University of Dayton Boll Theatre on Dec. 1-2. Tickets can be purchased by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or 888-228-3630 or ticketcenterstage.com
Hand oil-painted film at The Neon
“Loving Vincent,” which is being billed as the world’s first fully oil painted feature film, brings the artwork of Vincent van Gogh to life in an exploration of the complicated life and controversial death of one of history’s most celebrated artists.
The movie was more than six years in the making with the help of 125 specially trained painters — 10 of whom live in the United States. “Loving Vincent” is an animated film composed of 65,000 painted frames. The film is inspired by van Gogh’s masterpieces, subjects and 800 personal letters.
The show opened at The Neon movie theater in Dayton this weekend and is also expected to be shown at The Little Art theater in Yellow Springs.
Each week, arts writer Meredith Moss writes about the people and events makingarts news in our community. If you have news you’d like to share with our readers, contact Meredith: MMoss@coxohio.com
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