Southern New Hampshire Premiere of Documentary About Vermont Poet Laureat at Park Theatre

"Ruth Stone's Vast Library of the Female Mind" Screens in Jaffrey on October 8 with the Filmmaker

Poet Ruth Stone at her typewriter
Photo by David Carlson

JAFFREY, New Hampshire (October 2, 2023) A poignant documentary about acclaimed poet Ruth Stone and her transformative journey from grief to poetic brilliance will have its southern New Hampshire premiere at Jaffrey's Park Theatre on Sunday, October 8, at 4:00 p.m. A Q&A will occur after the screening with Director Nora Jacobson and Executive Producer Chard DeNiord.

The 74-minute film Ruth Stone's Vast Library of The Female Mind introduces the audience to Ruth Stone and her work through intimate interviews, archival footage, and animation by granddaughter Bianca Stone, an accomplished poet and artist herself. Together, they tell the story of a promising young poet who retreated to the margins of the literary world to support her daughters after her husband died unexpectedly by suicide. Living in rural Vermont, she worked tirelessly to provide for her children and transform her intense grief into poetry, using simple, startling language.

"Ruth Stone's Vast Library of the Female Mind is a documentary for those who value the journey of life... an inspiring excavation of the subject's subconscious."
–Q.V. Hough, Rotten Tomatoes

"Jacobson not only tells us who Ruth Stone was, but also why we should pay attention to her and her poetry."
–Marilyn Ferdinand, Alliance of Women Film Journalists

From Director Nora Jacobson: "I fell in love with Ruth as soon as I met her. Her ability to recite her poems straight from her mind, without reading them, reminded me of a seer. I also was intrigued by the challenge of making a film about a poet. Film is inherently visual, while poetry uses words to conjure mental images for the reader. How to bring these two forms together? Finally, I believe in creativity as a healing force, and Ruth's ability to turn her experiences into poetry is alchemical, like turning a common metal into gold."

The film will be shown in The Park Theatre's 333-seat Eppes Auditorium. Tickets for this special Park Theatre Filmmaker Series screening are $20 each. Tickets can be purchased by going to www.theparktheatre.org or by calling the Box Office at (603) 532-8888.

The Park Theatre is located at 19 Main Street in downtown Jaffrey, NH, just 95 minutes from downtown Boston. The theatre has a lounge bar and is fully accessible.

SMILE Mass Announces Floating Beach Wheelchair Award

Communities or Residents May Apply to Win Awards for Local Ponds and Beaches

September 26, 2023 (SUDBURY, Massachusetts) - SMILE Mass has created an opportunity for communities and residents to apply for a floating beach wheelchair for their local ponds and beaches to expand the organization's successful floating beach wheelchair donation program.

SMILE Mass (Small Miracles in Life Exist) is a 501 C3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping families raising children or adults with disabilities enjoy happy, healthy memories through education, vacation, and recreation experiences.

"There is something special about the beach, and no matter one's age, a day at the beach always makes life a little easier," explained SMILE Mass founder and president Lotte Diomede. "Because it is such a magical place, SMILE Mass wants everyone to have the opportunity to enjoy the beach, regardless of their disability. We believe the little things in life can make memories that last a lifetime for everyone."

SMILE Mass donates floating beach wheelchairs each year to public beaches to make beaches more accessible to the disabled population in New England. They currently have over 180 donated beach wheelchairs throughout New England. A list of participating beaches can be found at https://smilemass.org/initiative/beach-wheelchairs/

Due to the overwhelming demand for the program, the organization has launched the SMILE Mass Floating Beach Wheelchair Awards Program. This allows towns and cities throughout New England to apply for a beach wheelchair. The application can be found here and filled out by any member of the community: https://racewire.com/register.php?id=13427

The award cycle for the 2024 program is open until December 31, 2023. Award Recipients will be notified by March 31, 2024.

About SMILE Mass: Small Miracles in Life Exist (SMILE Mass) is a 501 C3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping families raising children or adults with disabilities enjoy happy, healthy memories through education, vacation and recreation experiences. For more information, visit www.smilemass.org

Contact information:
Lotte Diomede- President-Founder lotte@smilemass.org 617-967-7755
Susan Brown-Vice President- Co-Founder susan@smilemass.org 978-460-7410
Todd Civin- Director of Communications todd@smilemass.org 978-502-1453