Your Library Connection
 

Meet a Legend

One way to learn about biographies and people is to play a game called Who am I?  I used to do this with students, having them choose a person to study and develop five clues starting with obscure facts and providing more commonplace information by the 4^th and 5^th question.  Other students had one guess after each clue.  Here is a sample…

•       I was the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize. 

•       I was a naturalist and loved history. 

•       I led a group known as the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War. 

•       I became President of the U.S. after the assassination of William McKinley. 

•       The Teddy Bear was named after me.

I imagine that by now you have solved the puzzle.  OK, that was fun, let’s try another one…

•       As a storyteller/reenactor, I have done command performances for Congressman, governors, major corporations and the president of Mexico.

•            I am the recipient of 12 National Awards for my reenactments of historical characters.

•       I write poetry, a favorite is a humorous selection called “My Mother’s Uplifting Love” about an outhouse explosion.

•             I reenacted George Drouillard of the Lewis and Clark Trail to an enraptured audience in the Independence Public Library in November of 2009.

•             I will be returning to Independence for my debut performance of Theodore Roosevelt as part of Riverside Cinema on Friday, July 23^rd.

The first one was probably a little easier than the second.  You are right, the first answer is Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt.  The second answer is Darrel Draper from Omaha, Nebraska.  Many who attended the performance of George Drouillard encouraged the library to bring Draper back for an encore.  It’s no wonder, as he is engaging, funny, knowledgeable and incredibly authentic in his presentation. 

The evening that Draper will be performing is a special Riverside Cinema event.  Draper will give his debut performance of Theodore Roosevelt at 7:30 pm at the band shell located in the River Walk Park on Friday, July 23rd.  Following the reenactment will be the movie, The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt, shown on the big screen with great sound, also in the park.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate, but if it doesn’t we will move to the library’s Community Room.   

I hope you will consider joining us for Darrel Draper as Theodore Roosevelt and The Indomitable Teddy Roosevelt on July 23^rd, 7:30 pm, at the River Walk Park!  If you would like to hear more about Darrel Draper and his talents, feel free to talk with John Klotzbach, Lee or Linda Bowden, Larry and Janice Kaberle, Bob Hill, Amy McGraw or me.  He also has a website at http://www.draperhistory.com/.  The event is sponsored by White Funeral Home and Mt. Hope Cemetery.  See you at the park on the 23rd! 

Library Tidbits:
The library will have new, extended hours beginning in July!  The hours will be:  Monday – Thursday 9:30 am – 8:00 pm, Friday 9:30 am – 5:00 pm, Saturday 9:30 am – 4:00 pm and Sunday 1:00pm - 4:00 pm.  We will be closed over the holiday weekend on both Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4. 

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