April 23, 2009

Happy Birthday, Shakespeare

What's in a name? by Diana Ferrell
“A dish fit for the Gods.”
-- From Julius Caesar, by William Shakespeare
A hearty crowd turned out Thursday to celebrate William Shakespeare's 445th birthday with the Racine Literacy Council.

Among the festivities was an Edible Book contest in which participants were asked to create a Shakespeare-themed cake. The cakes were then auctioned off to raise money for the RLC’s adult tutoring programs. Winners were:

  • Most Creative: “Double, double, toil and trouble” from Scott Lema, The Confectioneer
  • Best Representation of Theme: “What’s in a Name?” from Diana Ferrell, Larsen’s Bakery
  • Best of Show: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Ashley Olesen, O&H Bakery, at right
Kay Gregor, executive director of the RLC said, “This has been a lot of fun. What better way to celebrate a 445th birthday? We also wanted to use today to bring attention to the work that the Racine Literacy Council is doing in this community. We are fortunate to be able to read Shakespeare’s beautiful words, but one in five adults in this country do not have the basic literacy skills needed to fill out a job application or read to their children. We’re trying to change that.”

The party raised money for the RLC and for the Shakespeare Urban Garden project, planned for Lake Avenue between 7th & 8th Streets. It also started the sign-up for Summer Read, the RLC’s annual read-a-thon in which participants read a number of books to gain pledges. Summer Read takes place over three months, from June 8 – September 8, and is open to all ages. The RLC is looking for people to take part. Call the RLC at 262-632-9495 or check their website for more information.

Double, double, toil and trouble, by Scott Lema
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous4/24/2009 7:04 AM

    "Who ever loved, that loved not at first sugary bite?"

    Fabulous fundraiser idea! Kudos to Kay Gregor, a true artiste in every sense of the word, and her volunteers too...for this splendid event. RLC rocks!

    And as a venue, Red Onion is terrific. It's all GOOD.

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  2. Unknown4/24/2009 7:01 PM

    That was such an enjoyable evening. I hope that they do it again next year. I do wish that they had an amateur and a professional category for the cake judging, however. My daughter (and her friend) felt pretty intimidated when they saw the professional cakes displayed since this was their first effort doing a cake. An amateur division might also encourage more entries next year.

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