In August of 2020, we started a Collaborative Story Project! Eight different stories originated from our eight senior center locations. Participants were asked to do the following:
1. Record your information on the contact sheet.
2. Add a sentence or two to the story on the blank pages provided.
3. Mail or hand-deliver the story to a friend or family member!
We asked that the stories be returned to WCCOA around October 31, 2020 to be published here. Check back on January 8 when the Northeast Area Senior Center Story will be published!
Wood County Senior Center Story
There's an old legend that talks about magical fairies living in the forest...
Stacy's grandparents have a farm near the forest, or "big woods" as they call it. Stacy knew about the legend and magical fairies, and although she didn't really believe in fairies, she did wonder...
Whenever Stacy visited her grandparents' farm she loved to walk through the woods and ponder how she would recognize the signs of the fairies' existence. She listened and observed as she walked along well-loved paths. Then one day...
Stacy saw something flitting in the trees and felt as if she was being watched.
"It's only my imagination playing tricks on me," she thought. But after a few minutes, she realized she HAD seen something - a small human-like form with diaphanous wings, long golden hair, and a lovely smiling face. It seemed harmless enough, almost friendly in its appearance so Stacy approached the tree in which the being appeared to be sitting.
Stacy said very quietly and slowly, "HELLO". A big voice answered back and said, "I am Susie Sunshine. Do you want to be friends?"
Stacy thought about answering and finally said "OK, I'd like to be your friend. Can I tell my grandparents about you? Will they believe me? How did you get up there in the tree? Did you fly?"
Stacy, when your grandparents were young, they believed in fairies. As people lose their innocence of youth, their visions of fairies dim. Perhaps we could rekindle their excitement. Let's try! Ready for an adventure?
Stacy felt immediately that she could trust the new friend. And she lifted her arms to be caught up in the awe of Susie Sunshine. Together, they flew into the dense forest around and around until a bright glow appeared in the thickest part of the "big woods". As they floated down to a wondrous sight of diaphanous beings dancing and singing, Stacy could hardly wait to tell her grandparents all about this.
Stacy and Susie Sunshine headed west towards the farm. It was quite a long walk and as they went along their way, Stacy noticed Susie Sunshine wasn't as bright as she was earlier in the day. Stacy asked Susie Sunshine if she would like to stop and rest. Susie Sunshine explained to Stacy that she would be setting soon but would be back bright and early the next morning. Stacy was so excited she hurried back to her grandparents to tell them all about the amazing adventures she had that day. When Stacy got back to the farm her grandmother was outside hanging up the laundry. She looked very busy so Stacy went to look for her grandfather. Stacy looked for quite a while and couldn't find him anywhere. She started walking towards the woods to see if maybe he had gone to collect firewood. As she went further into the woods she came to a clearing and was shocked to see who her grandfather was with...
He was sitting on a log with a sad look on his face and there was a little gnome, looking equally distressed, standing beside him. Although shocked at the sight of the gnome, Stacy was more surprised by the sad look on her grandfather's usually smiling face.
"What is wrong, Papa?", she asked with tears starting to flood her eyes.
"One of my favorite cows has wandered off into the forest, he replied, so I came to ask my friend Lucky Nocktonick if he could help me find her. It's his job to watch over the livestock, but he was distracted by another cow giving birth and didn't see Clover go off alone. He has been unable to find her and, since Clover is also due to have a calf soon, I'm afraid wolves or a bear might get her and her calf if it's born in the forest. I love Clover and don't want anything to happen to her, but the forest is so big. I don't know how we'll find her before it's too late."
Stacy smiled a big smile and practically shouted "I'll get Susie Sunshine and her friends to look for her."
"Susie Sunshine?" Her grandfather asked with a puzzled look.
"She's my new fairy friend", Stacy said with glee, and there are many more like her. They can search the whole forest in no time because they fly so fast!" Stacy took off and ran into the forest yelling "Susie Sunshine, I need you!"
Within seconds, Stacy was surrounded with what seemed like hundreds of fairies with Susie Sunshine in the lead. "What do you need?" Susie asked with concern. Stacy quickly explained and the fairies took off with a whoosh of tiny wings.
Stacy ran to tell her Grandfather and the words were no sooner out of her mouth than Susie Sunshine was beside her reporting that Clover had been found and she did indeed have a healthy new baby. The other fairies were standing guard over her until Lucky Nocktonick could stay with her and the calf until they were able to walk back to the barn. Susie led Papa, Stacy and Lucky to where Clover was. Papa decided to name the calf Sunshine to honor Susie Sunshine. He was so grateful to the fairies that he invited all of them to come to his farm anytime they wanted and enjoy all the fresh cream and butter his cows supplied that they could use. Stacy could not wait to tell her mom and dad that she had met a fairy AND a gnome and what they had done. Her parents just smiled sweetly and her mother said "That's nice honey. We'd better go home and put you in bed. Your imagination is running away with you."
