Letter from the MRA President, Nancy Witherall

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF MRA

Dear Members, What a delightful issue of MRA Today where so many have shared how books have influenced or affected their lives in some way. I could not count the number of times I have laughed or cried when reading a book. I have hoped for characters (let the shard be enough); I’ve tried to advise characters (don’t marry that jerk); and, yes, I have fallen in love with characters (sometimes a child, but always with a duke). When I was young and hooked on The Boxcar Children series, I dreamed that I could be Jessie; it was that powerful pull of no adult supervision, and now that I’m an adult, well, sometimes I still dream to be Jessie… Thanks to our editors, Patricia Crain de Galarce and Valerie Shinas, their editorial team, and the authors who have shared how a book or character has impacted their lives; we have this interesting and uplifting issue! I am also delighted to share that MRA, along with our local councils, has been coming out of the tunnel of the pandemic and seeing the light that is leading us to great events and eventually back to normalcy. Your local councils (contacts found at www.massreading.org) are beginning to offer inperson presentations of speakers and authors, and a beacon of light (Pattie Kelley) is leading MRA to a fantastic Spring 2023 conference. It’s been a tough two years; we all want to get back to some kind of normal. Do plan on attending the conference next year; please watch your emails as sometimes MRA happenings end up in the spam folder--as I have discovered! As you know, we had a very successful online 2022 Spring Institute with great presenters and wonderful authors. MRA would like to thank the institute committee members for the time and effort they put into its success: Holly Banusiewicz, Marlene Correia, Nancy Meagher, Joan Tuttle, Valerie Shinas, and Nancy Verdolino. Some of you may remember that in the last issue of The Primer, I signed my president’s letter as “Interim President.” Well, lately, when signing “Interim President,” I have been feeling like the Velveteen Rabbit--not real. The good news is that when we have our official installation of officers during our Summer Leadership Workshop that MRA plans for its board and advisory group members, I will be installed as President until April 2023 and become real, once again. MRA is wishing all of you a calm ending to your school year and a peaceful, safe summer. Sincerely, Nancy Witherell, (Soon to be real) President, MRA