Community Events
The Friends of Theodore Roethke Foundation has collaborated with many aspects of the community in the past. Our foundation collaborated with the students of Dr. Kay Harley’s Advanced Writing Projects class at Saginaw Valley State University to produce a grant proposal. Students contributed over 100 volunteer hours researching and writing the proposal. In fact, collaboration with SVSU students and faculty alike has gone on off- and on-campus since 2000.
- 2000 – Groups of SVSU students begin touring the Roethke House as part of their general education English courses. SVSU faculty make presentations on the life and literary legacy of Roethke.
- 2003 – Dr. Judith Kerman, an SVSU professor, facilitates the Rustbelt Roethke Professional Writers’ Workshop. Featured authors read their work at the Roethke House in 2003 and 2004. The group tours the house in 2005.
- 2003 – Students in Dr. Kay Harley’s upper-division courses create The Roethke Review, a newsletter providing information on the Roethke House. Issues are also produced in 2004.
- 2005 – A continuing education course led by SVSU professors Lynne Graft and Ruth Sawyers titled Roethke: The Man and his Poetry introduced 12-15 retirees to Roethke’s work.
Literary Picnics
In addition to the collaboration with SVSU, the Roethke House also holds literary picnics at the Roethke home. These picnics happen frequently throughout the year and feature area authors, musicians, and restaurant support.
Other Events:
- Weiss Elementary School 4th graders grew geranium seedlings, wrote poetry about their flowers, and donated them to the Roethke House
- Mum and Cider Open houses were hosted in October for area educators
- Heritage High German students decorated the house for a German Christmas
- Valley Lutheran High Schools did a spring clean up as a service project
- Westdale Elementary 5th grade students took a tour of the house