Centennial is here * Special events * Music & cake all day * Bill's Coffeeshop Newsletter * Vol. 14 * April 6, 2013
COFFEE & 'BELONGING MOMENTS'
IN THE SPIRIT OF BILL SACKTER
WILD Bill's Coffeeshop at the University of Iowa and its crosstown cousin Uptown Bill's are continuing experiments in the "social" part of social work. From the beginning, the coffeeshops' goal has been to bring people together across boundaries which divide us. The particular mission of the "Bills" has been to offer a place for crossing a boundary called "ability." Bob Finch, a longtime friend and supporter, calls this "abilities awareness."
But there are other boundaries, too, which the coffeeshops try to cross, including those between student and teacher, and between campus and community. It is an ongoing project, something which continues to unfold.
Ideas for the role of the coffeeshop come both from the unique history of the "Bills" and from the history of the social work profession. Hull House in Chicago had a coffeeshop before 1900. It was one of the very first projects of the settlement house started by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr.
From reading the letters and speeches of Jane Addams, I have discovered that the reasons for the success of the Hull House coffeeshop are quite similar to those for the success of the "Bills" (and similar ventures) today. Back then, people wanted a sense of community, a place where they felt they belonged. They also wanted an informal place.
NOW, in 2013, people who visit the "Bills" say they come for similar reasons. Customers say they like the informality of the coffeeshops and the feeling of community. Ray Oldenberg, who wrote a book on coffeeshops and cafes, says the best coffeeshops are a "third place" between home and work. (His book echoes some of the themes of a study conducted by Hull House researchers more than a century ago.)
Each day, those who come to the coffeeshops take part in an experiment with the "social" in social work. It can be found in art projects and in the conversations, in the music and theater presented in the coffeeshops, and in the AA and other groups which meet there.
The coffeeshops are an ever-evolving effort in creating a sense of community. It is a place to experience "belonging moments," in the words of Jenny Barry, a 2001 MSW grad from the University of Iowa.
We can take these experiences at Bill's and Uptown Bill's, and carry them with us wherever we go. Then we can create new "belonging moments" for others in the communities where we work and live.
BILL SACKTER CENTENNIAL
EVENTS ALL THIS WEEK
THIS coming week (April 8-13) Wild Bill's and Uptown Bill's are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bill Sackter, for whom the coffeeshops are named. There are special events every day as part of this Centennial.
Here's the schedule:
Monday, April 8. Bill Sackter Centennial
7 pm. Showing of "A Friend Indeed." documentary film about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter. Also showing at the same time at Wild Bill's Coffeeshop, 321 North Hall, on the U of Iowa campus. Part of the Bill Sackter Centennial Celebration:
Tuesday, April 9. Bill Sackter Centennial
6 pm. "In the spirit of Bill." Art exhibit of works inspired by Bill Sackter and the theme of "abilities awareness."
7:30 pm. Showing of "Bill On His Own," 1983 film starring Mickey Rooney as Bill and Dennis Quade as Barry.
Wednesday, April 10. Bill Sackter Centennial
7 pm. Spoken Word. Stories and readings in the spirit of Bill Sackter
8 pm. Live broadcast of "The Smartest Iowan." One segment will be devoted to questions about Bill Sackter and the coffeeshops. Guest host: Tom Gilsenan, director of Uptown Bill's/Extend the dream.
Thursday, April 11. Bill Sackter Centennial
6 pm. Artvaark. (Art activities)
7 pm Music with Hadaccah. Classic Americana with a touch of soul and hip hop.
Also: Open Mic.
Friday, April 12. Bill Sackter Centennial
7 pm. Stories about Bill. Barry and Bev Morrow, Tom Walz and others talk about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter. This event will be held in the auditorium (W10) of the Pappajohn Business Bldg on the U of Iowa campus. Reception follows at Wild Bill's Coffeeshop, 321 North Hall.
Saturday, April 13
10 am to 7 pm. Music and more to celebrate Bill's Birthday. A different performer and different cake every hour.
10 am: Combined Efforts Choir. 11 am: Nancita Wernett
Noon. Harmonica Birthday Salute to Bill. Bring your own harmonica and play "Happy Birthday." Or sing along.
Also auction of artist-designed coffee cups.
2 pm. Hannah Drollinger 3 pm. Beat Prairie. 4 pm. Pennies on the Rail. 5 pm. Erin Ebnet
7 pm. Concluding concert for Bill Sackter Centennial featuring Dave Moore and No Coast. $8 suggested cover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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
IN THE SPIRIT OF BILL SACKTER
WILD Bill's Coffeeshop at the University of Iowa and its crosstown cousin Uptown Bill's are continuing experiments in the "social" part of social work. From the beginning, the coffeeshops' goal has been to bring people together across boundaries which divide us. The particular mission of the "Bills" has been to offer a place for crossing a boundary called "ability." Bob Finch, a longtime friend and supporter, calls this "abilities awareness."
But there are other boundaries, too, which the coffeeshops try to cross, including those between student and teacher, and between campus and community. It is an ongoing project, something which continues to unfold.
Ideas for the role of the coffeeshop come both from the unique history of the "Bills" and from the history of the social work profession. Hull House in Chicago had a coffeeshop before 1900. It was one of the very first projects of the settlement house started by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr.
From reading the letters and speeches of Jane Addams, I have discovered that the reasons for the success of the Hull House coffeeshop are quite similar to those for the success of the "Bills" (and similar ventures) today. Back then, people wanted a sense of community, a place where they felt they belonged. They also wanted an informal place.
NOW, in 2013, people who visit the "Bills" say they come for similar reasons. Customers say they like the informality of the coffeeshops and the feeling of community. Ray Oldenberg, who wrote a book on coffeeshops and cafes, says the best coffeeshops are a "third place" between home and work. (His book echoes some of the themes of a study conducted by Hull House researchers more than a century ago.)
Each day, those who come to the coffeeshops take part in an experiment with the "social" in social work. It can be found in art projects and in the conversations, in the music and theater presented in the coffeeshops, and in the AA and other groups which meet there.
The coffeeshops are an ever-evolving effort in creating a sense of community. It is a place to experience "belonging moments," in the words of Jenny Barry, a 2001 MSW grad from the University of Iowa.
We can take these experiences at Bill's and Uptown Bill's, and carry them with us wherever we go. Then we can create new "belonging moments" for others in the communities where we work and live.
BILL SACKTER CENTENNIAL
EVENTS ALL THIS WEEK
THIS coming week (April 8-13) Wild Bill's and Uptown Bill's are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Bill Sackter, for whom the coffeeshops are named. There are special events every day as part of this Centennial.
Here's the schedule:
Monday, April 8. Bill Sackter Centennial
7 pm. Showing of "A Friend Indeed." documentary film about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter. Also showing at the same time at Wild Bill's Coffeeshop, 321 North Hall, on the U of Iowa campus. Part of the Bill Sackter Centennial Celebration:
Tuesday, April 9. Bill Sackter Centennial
6 pm. "In the spirit of Bill." Art exhibit of works inspired by Bill Sackter and the theme of "abilities awareness."
7:30 pm. Showing of "Bill On His Own," 1983 film starring Mickey Rooney as Bill and Dennis Quade as Barry.
Wednesday, April 10. Bill Sackter Centennial
7 pm. Spoken Word. Stories and readings in the spirit of Bill Sackter
8 pm. Live broadcast of "The Smartest Iowan." One segment will be devoted to questions about Bill Sackter and the coffeeshops. Guest host: Tom Gilsenan, director of Uptown Bill's/Extend the dream.
Thursday, April 11. Bill Sackter Centennial
6 pm. Artvaark. (Art activities)
7 pm Music with Hadaccah. Classic Americana with a touch of soul and hip hop.
Also: Open Mic.
Friday, April 12. Bill Sackter Centennial
7 pm. Stories about Bill. Barry and Bev Morrow, Tom Walz and others talk about the life and legacy of Bill Sackter. This event will be held in the auditorium (W10) of the Pappajohn Business Bldg on the U of Iowa campus. Reception follows at Wild Bill's Coffeeshop, 321 North Hall.
Saturday, April 13
10 am to 7 pm. Music and more to celebrate Bill's Birthday. A different performer and different cake every hour.
10 am: Combined Efforts Choir. 11 am: Nancita Wernett
Noon. Harmonica Birthday Salute to Bill. Bring your own harmonica and play "Happy Birthday." Or sing along.
Also auction of artist-designed coffee cups.
2 pm. Hannah Drollinger 3 pm. Beat Prairie. 4 pm. Pennies on the Rail. 5 pm. Erin Ebnet
7 pm. Concluding concert for Bill Sackter Centennial featuring Dave Moore and No Coast. $8 suggested cover.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 @ 3:29 PM
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