SO MUCH MUSIC* LIVE TV * VALENTINE * CENTENNIAL * Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter * Vol. 14 * February 10, 2013
VALENTINE: PATRON SAINT
OF ABILITIES AWARENESS
In our time St. Valentine has been reduced to a nice guy who wrote love notes and sometimes played the role of a matchmaker. But a look at centuries-old paintings suggests he was much, much more. Many paintings show him talking with individuals with disabilities. You can find paintings which show him with one or more individuals who are blind or who cannot walk. Another frequent theme shows Valentine with individuals who have epilepsy.
These paintings suggest Val was an early advocate of what those connected with Bill's Coffeeshop have come to call "abilities awareness." (Bob Finch, longtime coordinator of music in the coffeeshop during the 1990s is credited with popularizing this phrase.) So Valentine could be embraced as the patron saint of "abilities awareness." And what a great name Valentine would be for a coffeeshop.
IMAGINE CUPID FOR
THE 21ST CENTURY
Remember Cupid, the little dude with wings and a bow and arrow? Goes around spreading love? What would he or she look like in our time? We're
gathering ideas for Valentine's Day. What would Cupid wear? What kind of car? Instead of a bow and arrow, what would she use? Let your imagination
run on this.
To get started, you might think about another icon: Superman. His image has been updated by the imaginations of a number of people.
There was the Crash Test Dummies song, for example:
"Sometimes when Supe was stopping crimes,
I'll bet he was tempted to just quit and turn his back on man,
join Tarzan in the jungle.
But he stayed in the city,
Changing his clothes in dirty old phone booths
till his work was through."
Or how about the Five for Fighting song about Superman:
"I'm only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street."
WHAT'S HAPPENING
DURING THIS WEEK
Monday, Feb. 11
6 pm. AA meeting
7 pm. Brain Injury Support Group.
Wednesday, Feb. 13
7 pm. Spoken Word
8 pm. Live TV broadcast of "The Smartest Iowan" quiz show. Presented by PATV
Thursday, Feb. 14
6 pm. Artvaark (art activities)
7 pm. Open Mic.
8 pm. Music with Valaska
Friday,Feb. 15
4-6 pm. Chess with Ed Gaines
7 pm. Friday Night Concert with Anja McCloskey. Hannah Drollinger opens.
Saturday, Feb. 16.
3 pm. Community Folk Sing
Everyone is welcome to gather for an all-request sing-along. Bring your voice, your instrument, and your friends! Bring a copy of the
songbook Rise Up Singing if you have one. Hosted by Uptown Bill's and the Family Folk Machine (a Senior Center group).
7 pm. Saturday Night Concert with The Beggarmen.
SPIRIT OF BILL SACKTER LIVES
IN COFFEESHOP AND COMMUNITY
When the original Wild Bill's Coffeeshop opened in 1975, it was little more than a coffeepot in a closet. Later, it moved into a larger space in 321 North Hall, where it is still located today.
North Hall was originally built as a K-12 school which served as a training center for student teachers. The third floor was the elementary school; the second floor a high school. The university closed its training school in the early 1970s; the School of Social Work moved in shortly after that.
Though the K-12 school is long gone, there are still plenty of reminders of its presence. Above the outside doors on the second floor you can read the words high school. In one third floor room, the blackboard is at a level for first graders. What is now the coffeeshop was once a kindergarten.
Barry Morrow remembers well when the coffeeshop moved into its current location. The coffeeshop had been located down the hall in a spot not much bigger than a closet. He lobbied for a larger space and the coffeeshop was moved into what is now Room 321.
Barry and his wife, Bev, were friends of Bill Sackter. They had met in Minneapolis. Bill had worked in the same country club restaurant where Bev Morrow worked. An acquaintance later became a great friendship. In addition the Morrows became Sackter's de facto guardian; he became an "uncle" in their family.
Originally, the Morrows planned to leave Bill behind in Minneapolis when they moved to Iowa. But when it appeared that Bill might be sent back to a state hospital, they invited Bill to move with them.
The Morrows moved to Iowa because of a job offer. Barry was recruited by Tom Walz, then head of the School of Social Work, to take a job as an audio-visual specialist. Barry had done lots of work with film and video in Minneapolis which made him a good candidate for the job.
Barry continued his exploration of film and video in Iowa. Inspired by Bill Sackter's life, he wrote a screenplay based on this story. This became "Bill," a movie made for television.
Telecast of "Bill" in 1981 brought national attention to Sackter and the coffeeshop. The School of Social Work received so much mail for Bill that extra staff had to be hired to answer it. Sackter became a symbol of "triumph over disability." He also became an "unlikely celebrity," in the words of Tom Walz, who used the phrase as the title of his 1999 book on Sackter.
A second film by Morrow, Bill On His Own (1983), renewed the interest in Bill Sackter and the coffeeshop. Unfortunately, Bill died shortly before the movie premiere. His death brought national media attention to the coffeeshop.
But it also raised the question of the coffeeshop's future. After a brief period of uncertainty, the decision was made to continue
operating the coffeeshop. Also, it would continue to be staffed by individuals with disabilities from the community and
social work students.
Today the coffeeshop continues to operate in the spirit of Bill Sackter. In a typical semester, there are twelve individuals with
disabilities working in the coffeeshop (and just as many volunteers).
Bill's has become much more than a place to get a cup of coffee. It has also emerged as a community center on the university campus in Iowa City.
And it continues to attract visitors from all over the country. People stop in to see the "place where Bill worked" and "the coffeeshop which became a movie" every week. They tell us when they saw the movie or when they met Bill -- wonderful moments which inspire all who have worked in the coffeeshop.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of the original coffeeshop. Now in its 12th year, it's the centerpiece of a nonprofit organization called Extend the Dream Foundation. Wild Bill's and Uptown Bill's work together on a variety of initiatives, including the upcoming Bill Sackter Centennial.
WE THOUGHT YOU BE
INTERESTED IN...
...Uptown Bill's is not only a coffee house, but also a bookstore and a performance venue. There are other businesses, too, all under the umbrella of the Extend the Dream Foundation.
...Donations of books are welcome for the bookstore at Uptown Bill's. Call us for details: (319) 339~0804.
...Would you like to perform at Uptown Bill's. Our stage is open to all ages and abilities. Call Tom G. for more information: (319) 339~0804.
...Had a good malt lately? Malts and shakes are a specialty of Uptown Bill's.
...Sackter House Media recognizes books on topics related to disabilities and books written by authors with a disability. Look for a selection at Uptown Bill's or online at: www.sackterhousemedia.org.
...Check "Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop" on Facebook this week for a virtual tour of the original Wild Bill's Coffeeshop.
...Have you seen "A Friend Indeed" the documentary film about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter? It's available for purchase at Uptown Bill's.
...Are you following us on Uptown Bill's on Twitter. Over 1,600 people do. We'll keep you posted on concerts and other events, plus special offers.
BILL SACKTER CENTENNIAL
PLANNED FOR APRIL 8-13
April 13, 2013 marks the 100th year of Bill Sackter's birth. To celebrate, we are planning a week of special events:
April 8— 7-9 pm. Showing of A Friend Indeed-The Bill Sackter Story at both Uptown Bill's and Wild Bill's Coffeeshops.
April 9— 6-8 pm. Special Art Exhibit opens. Art 'in the spirit of Bill' plus 100 original mugs on display. Uptown Bill's 730 S. Dubuque St.
April 10— 7 pm. Spoken Word, 10 min. readings about abilities awareness. Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St.
April 11—6 pm. Coffee Crawl from Wild Bill's to Uptown Bill's-prizes, t-shirts, a scavenger hunt from Wild Bill's to Uptown Bill's with several coffee shop stops in between.
April 12—7 pm. Barry & Bev Morrow will speak at W10 Pappajohn Bldg. on their friendship with Bill how he inspired people around the world. Others integral to the story of Bill will also speak. Do you have a story to share about Bill? A reception will follow at Wild Bill's Coffeeshop in 320 North Hall.
April 13—9 am-9 pm. Birthday party at Uptown Bill's Coffee House. A different band-and a new cake every hour. At noon, artist designed coffee mugs will be auctioned. We are seeking 100 harmonica players to play Happy Birthday! 730 S. Dubuque St.
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Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter is a virtual extension of Wild Bill's Coffeeshop and Uptown Bill's Coffee House. Published since 2000, the Newsletter is written by Tom Gilsenan, a former manager of Wild Bill's and now director of Uptown Bill's. You can write to him at tomgilsenan@gmail.com
Wild Bill's Coffeeshop is a project of the School of Social Work at the University of Iowa. It has been a part of campus life in Iowa City for more than 35 years. Located in North Hall, the coffeeshop is open Monday through Thursday, 8 am to 8 pm. For more information, check the Wild Bill's Coffee Shop and Friends of Bill's Coffeeshop pages on Facebook. You can call the coffeeshop at (319) 335-1281. Donations to support the work of the coffeeshop may be sent to: Bill's Coffeeshop Fund, University of Iowa Foundation, P.O. Box 4550, Iowa City, IA 52244. Contributions are tax deductible.
Uptown Bill's is the crosstown cousin of Wild Bill's. Now in its 12th year, it includes a bookstore, performance venue and other businesses in addition to a coffeeshop. Located at 730 S. Dubuque, Uptown Bill's is open Monday through Saturday from 11 am. For more information, check the Uptown Bill's website or Facebook pages. You can call Uptown Bill's at (319) 339-0804. Donations to support the work of Uptown Bill's may be sent to: Extend the Dream Foundation, Uptown Bill's, 730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City, IA 52240. Contributions are tax deductible. You can also donate online at the Uptown Bill's website: www.uptownbills.org
posted by Tom Gilsenan @ 6:26 PM
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