FSPA Chapters

Big Bend Poets: held a Reorganization meeting, early in November, Beth Stevenson presiding. Outgoing President, Dr, Roberta Burton, was presented a Certificate of Appreciation for her two years as Chapter President. After a brief session with members reading their poetry, BBPoets' held its very first business meeting. Beth explained BBP's affiliated with FSPA, Nelson Monigiovi spoke on the benefits of FSPA memberships, applications were provided to the 15 poets that attended. Nelson Mongiovi was unanimously elected new Chapter President, Beth Stevenson, Vice President. A 3-member Program Committee and a Communications/Membership Chair were elected. A web-site, developed by Nelson, is still in its infancy, but everything is in place. It should be a great asset to BBP. A discussion was held about BBP monthly meetings location and a new site was selected for future inquiry.

Gingerbread Poets: study of various states' contest categories brought a review of various poetry forms. During a workshop on sonnet forms, Vivian R. Stewart's Vivian Sonnet Variation was studied, at another workshop Caroline Walton's awarded Gloss' was studied and at the third workshop Maxine Nicholson's winning Ekphrastic poem was studied. There were high compliments for Lee Priete's honorable mention in the 2011 NFSPS category for her Ekphrastic poem! 

Miami Poets: celebrate poetry each third Thursday at 7:00pm during the Miami Poets Soiree, moderated by Tere Starr. MPs join Jnita Wright's critique group on second Mondays at 1:00pm. Both events at Pinecrest Branch Library. Welcome new members: Hugo Quizhpi and Elizabeth Plater-Zyber. Their poetic voices add variety to the group.  

New River Poets: was busy writing poems for FSPA contests, sometimes practicing particular forms as monthly "challenges". The Gloss doesn't look quite as formidable as it once did! Members gathered a number of prizes in various competitions. As host chapter for the 2011 FSPA Convention, NRPoets ow much of the event's success to presenters: Gianna Russo, Linda Neckel White, Joe Cavanaugh, Taelen Thomas, and NRPoets John Foster and Coleen Ward. Stephanie Andrews was liaison with the Lake Mary Marriott Hotel. Coleen, John, and Stephanie, were gracious greeters at the reception table.

Poetry for the Love of It: New chapter as of November 1, 2012 with a meeting location at Tallahassee Senior Center. We meet the second and fourth Mondays from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. We have 9 new members as a part of our chapter.

Tomoka Poets: meet the 2nd Wednesday in the Ormond Beach Library, host a poetry open mic the third Tuesday at Java Jungle in the Pot Orange, with a local poetry featured each month who reads for 20 minutes. National Poetry Day, we represented a program sponsored by Friends of the Ormond Beach Library on the Life and Poetry of Maya Angelou. Poetry in the Park has returned for the season hosted by Travallion. Opening day was October 22 at Bicentennial Park in Ormond by the Sea. This will continue monthly at parks around Volusia County; including Sugar Mill Gardensin Port Orange, Campbell Park in Deltona, and Manatee Island in Daytona Beach.