Life Legacy Retreat

Life Legacy Retreat

Sponsored by Hart Regional Arts Council (HRAC)

Hosted by Kate Kirby and Maureen DeLoach

Retreat led by Carolyn Wallace, "Life Story Catcher"

Leaving Your Family a Legacy

Many people might not be able to leave much of a financial gift to their families as they get older, but there is something you can leave and it might even be something your loved ones will treasure even more. You can write them your Life Legacy Letter!

On Friday evening and Saturday, October 13-14, Hartwell Regional Arts Council (HRAC) is hosting a writing workshop entitled “Write Your Life Legacy Letter.”  After leading a very successful workshop in Hartwell in 2014, Carolyn Wallace will return to Hartwell to help participants compose (or revise) their letters. “Through exploring memories, reflecting on important life events, and writing, each participant will personally explore their life’s meaning and create a private life legacy letter,” Wallace commented. “The letter can accompany a legal will, or it can be shared at an earlier point, but it reflects your personal values, experiences, and messages for those you love and even those loved ones yet to come! In a legacy letter you express what you most want your loved one to know about you.”

Carolyn Wallace has some pretty interesting stories herself! She has been part of the Stone Soup Restaurant Collective and helped develop other non-profit organizations. Before starting her writing workshops, Wallace served as the Executive Director of  MANNA Food Bank , serving 17 Western North Carolina counties.Wallace later served as the Dean of Service Learning at Warren Wilson College.  Now she records and edits life stories, creates legacy books and leads workshops to facilitate the writing of life stories and legacy letters. She writes her own life stories and Wallace says she loves cooking, hiking, dancing, watching movies and she “reads, reads, reads.”

The workshop will be held at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, with a beginning “meet and greet” session from 7-9 Friday evening and conclude at 4:30 Saturday.  Coffee and donuts, lunch and light refreshments and drinks will be provided for the workshop, and served by arts council volunteers. The cost of the workshop is $135 ($125 for HRAC members).