Thanks to all the storytellers who made March 13th’s show “Saved!” so funny, charming, hair-raising, and beautiful.
Rebecca McCarthy’s large, loving extended family originated in Alabama but now spreads across the country from Alaska to Maine. All of them liked to tell jokes and stories. Her mother loved to read and write poetry and tell stories, and so does she. Rebecca grew up in South Carolina and Montana, where she was friends with Norman Maclean, who was a beautiful storyteller.
Matt Shedd is a writer. He works as a reporter and Morning Edition anchor for WUGA-FM. He also writes, voices, and produces radio stories on literary, music, and arts events for the station. He started the arts and culture website A MISSING AMERICA. He is also a featured contributor to No Depression: The Roots Music Authority. He is happily married to Carissa Balderas and owns a scrappy little dog named Emma. He’s writing a book about his ancestors who lived varied lives as American pioneers, Civil War soldiers, South American missionaries, explorers, linguists, theologians, and heavy drinkers.
Ira Roth spent more than 20 years as a ‘country veterinarian’ in Albany, Georgia before he moved to the big city (Athens) 3 years ago to teach at the veterinary school. He took a big pay cut, works twice as many hours, and volunteered for the job, so that should tell you how brilliant he is. He now gets to teach students how to avoid the mistakes he made in practice. Ira’s saving grace is his wonderful wife Julie and two incredible daughters, Anna and Claire.
Ansley Hayes was raised in a bunch of places not very far from each other in Flowery Branch, GA. She moved to Athens in 2009, did not die in the streets, and now calls this place home. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2012 with a BA in English and Creative Writing and aspires to be a sexuality educator and researcher. For now she can be found talking too loud while working in the Main Library on campus by day and attending to the whims of two former dumpster cats by night. Peace and blessin’s.
Jan Turner is a newcomer to Athens. A freelance writer, she has had a longtime interest in human culture, especially intercultural communication. She says that she approaches other cultures “as a student, with humility and respect.” This is her first time telling a story in public (thank you, Pat Priest, for the coaching!).
Alex White is a native of St. Petersburg, FL: birthplace of scheduled aviation and deathplace of Jack Kerouac. Vocationally speaking he has worn many hats, including those of cook (toque), farmer (brim), bike messenger (helmet), and, most recently, nurse (cap). He enjoys physical and mental exercise of various forms. He enjoys being in the mountains or by the sea. Mostly, though, he enjoys being with his wife, Marci (the founder of Rabbit Box) and six-year-old daughter, Harper.
Elizabeth Alder is a 30-year veteran of Hatha yoga, massage, and the healing arts. In 1977 she received her first certification in Healing Arts from the Metaphysical Research and Education Foundation in St. Petersburg, FL. In that same year she received her yoga instructor’s certification. Since that time she has studied and practiced Therapeutic Massage, Yoga Therapy and Healing Touch as well as Color Light Healing with neurologist Dr. Robert Hasinger in Italy, England, and Switzerland. She lives in Athens and is owned by 3 cats.
Robert Alan Black has been traveling the world since he took his first trip around his 5-year-old world in 1949 by daring to travel completely around his block one day in Detroit, venturing to places he had only seen from the backseat of his father’s car. He has used the nickname or sign-on “WanderingAlan” since he first joined the Internet in 1990. He has wandered the United States (49 states out of 50) and the world (86 countries so far) – and wandered in other ways as well, starting nine degrees and finishing five and working 49 jobs (and 9 professions) in the past 52 years.
Rabbit Box 