Laurelyn Dossett
listen now children a story I’ll tell …

From my front porch, I can almost see the downtown pharmacy where William Sydney Porter (pen name, O. Henry) worked at his Uncle’s drug store.

The writer is among the most read authors in the world, after Mark Twain and Edgar Allen Poe. Among his quotes:

“There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.”

This month the new arts magazine in the Piedmont – named after the Greensboro-born writer – featured a story on my new project, “The Gathering: A Winter’s Tale in Six Songs.”

If you see the free magazine around town, please pick up a copy. It’s put together by a talented group of writers, designers, and photographers in the Piedmont. It’s also a perfect sized-magazine; stays steady on your lap with a cup of coffee.

Read the article online, or pick up a copy around O. Henry’s hometown.

It’s probably the only time it’s okay to bring food to Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh. And no matter how you say it, here’s a little verbal reminder – and tutorial – to bring food donations to the symphony performance for “The Gathering: A Winter’s Tale in Six Songs” on November 26 and 26.

Food donations

In partnership with Interfaith Food Shuttle BackPack Buddies Program, the Symphony is collecting donated food items at all three “Carolina Christmas” concerts. The BackPack Buddies Program provides children from food-insecure homes with weekend meals during the school year. For complete information on what to bring, visit www.foodshuttle.org/backpack-buddies.