Talks, Workshops and Just for Fun

Former Rye resident Dana Hilmer will talk about her hilarious, heartwarming and insightful new anthology, “Blindsided by a Diaper”, June 21, 7 p.m. at Parkers. Hilmer has first-hand experience as the mother of three boys under the age of 4. She sheds light on the ways couples' relationships change once they become parents through the voices of over 30 of today's most popular and distinctive writers.

Just like parenthood, the essays take readers on a rollercoaster ride. The writers reveal the choices they have made - the joy and heartaches they have experienced; the challenges of trying to maintain a sexual and intimate life; and how their experiences together, as parents, may or may not be what they were expecting.

It is sure to be an inspirational evening for parents of all ages. Wine and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Don’t miss your last chances of the season to take a one-hour tour of historic downtown Rye June 9 and 23 through the Rye Historical Society. There is no charge for members, $5 non-members. Children under 12 are free. Educator-led tours are offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information, call 967-7588.

Discover The Secret to Feng Shui Cures during a workshop at Wainwright House, Wednesday, June 13, 7 to 9 p.m. In this fun and informative workshop, you’ll learn how to correctly enhance your environment and life through the 4,000-year-old art. Bring a floor plan of your first floor to the class. It should be no larger than 8" x 11" $25 for members, $30 non-members.

Wainwright House will host a Sacred Sound Meditation workshop Saturday June 13, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sound vibration specialist Gene Jones will help participants study the many dimensions of sacred sound as a form of spiritual practice and practical life enhancement. Utilizing a variety of sound tools including Tibetan bowls, mantras, crystal bowls, voice, and tuning forks, this session will focus on creative sound techniques as useful tools for transformation. The cost is $25 for members, $30 non-members.

Rare is the person who does not have unresolved issues with a loved one or co-worker. Learn How to Be at Peace with Anyone at Wainwright Saturday, June 16, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in a systematic, three-step completion process that frees you of the toxic energy and heavy weight that you have been carrying around. $20 for members, $25 non-members.

“Awaken Your Joy” author Cary Bayer will help you reconnect to your greatest joys, and then take you through the steps to consciously bring them more into daily life Saturday, June 16, 1:45 to 4:15 p.m. at Wainwright. You will leave the class with a plan to incorporate more joy into your friendships, relationships, family, career, sex life, and spiritual life. The cost is $20 for members, $25 non-members.

Take a spiritual journey to “The Child Within” Saturday, June 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wainwright. The Inner Child is a source of playfulness, purity and childlike innocence, as well as an entity that carries wounds and traumas from the past. Through guided imagery and other exercises, participants will become acquainted with at least one Inner Child and will have opportunities for deep experiential work and group sharing.

The workshop will be led by Sarah Davis, MS, CASAC, a psychotherapist in private practice in Harrison. She is also a Senior Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor at St. Vincent's Hospital. Pre-registration is required. Space is limited to 10 participants. Visit www.wainwright.org or call 967-6080.

The fee is $65 for members, $75 non-members. For more information on Wainwright events, call 967-6080.

Newsman and author Bob Woodruff brings his incredible journey and miraculous recovery to The Osborn Retirement Community Wednesday, June 20, at 7:30 p.m. Woodruff joined ABC News in 1996 and has covered major stories throughout the country and around the world for the network. He was named co-anchor of ABC's "World News Tonight" in December 2005. On Jan. 29, 2006, while reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces in Iraq, Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb that struck his vehicle.

In February 2007, just 13 months after being wounded in Iraq, Woodruff returned to ABC News with his first on-air report, "To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports." The hour-long, primetime documentary chronicled his traumatic brain injury, his painstaking recovery, and the plight of thousands of service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with similar injuries. His book, “In an Instant,” co-authored with his wife, Lee, was published the same day and became an immediate best seller.

The event is free and open to the community. For further information and to RSVP, call Ann Valencia at 925-8367.