SPRING TOUR 2010

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040f0f21egerdp.jpg"> <div> <B><IMG SRC="041203c0.jpg" border=0 width="32" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>The Magic of Reading</B></FONT><B>      |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Magic of Reading"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03ff2f02egerdp.jpg"> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">    <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">  <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14">    <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="14"></div> <div> <IMG SRC="1073bed0.gif" border=0 width="315" height="493" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="042f0f03.jpg"> <div> <I>SPRING TOUR 2010</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday, January 5, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> ORMOND BEACH, FL  Another year has dawned, and Ben Franklin is still pushing forward, like the battery bunny on TV.  Money is not plenty, as Abe Lincoln would say, but people are more interested in the old guy on the 100 dollar bill than ever before.</div> <bR> <div> Three hundred seniors, and some home school moms and their kids, showed up to see Ben at Ormond Beach Library.  Pretty cool.  I know one lady really appreciate my show because she couldn't stop smiling and laughing.  Many others came up after the show and said nice things.  I had so much fun I feel indebt to the people who arranged for me to visit the library.  One person who was missing was the Ben Franklin impersonator who I met at Daytona Beach a couple of years ago.  I thought sure he would show up to pass out business cards again.  I wish him the best wherever he is.  My best to everyone in Volusia County.  Thanks for the good times!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Wednesday, January 6, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> DELTONA, FL  Thirty-five miles down I-4, Ben had adventures of another sort at a Volusia County library.  The folks at Deltona Regional Library contracted with Ben to perform four shows for a variety of different audiences this day.  The first group were fifth graders at Deltona Lakes Elementary.  I was in fine form for that program and blew the kids away-an absolutely perfect show.  Well, that's how it felt to me.  Whew.  I was ecstatic after the program.  What can I say, I maxed it.  Much of the credit must go to my audience which was superb.  Thanks! </div> <bR> <div> After three additional programs at the newly renovated and beautiful Deltona Library (one of, if not <I>the</I>, nicest library I have ever spoken at), I returned to my hotel room pretty pooped.  I enjoyed meeting several friends of the library who kindly befriended me and handled all the details flawlessly.  I hope we can do it again next year.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Thursday, January 7, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> LEESBURG, FL  Spoke to fifth graders at Red Bug Elementary in Casselberry.  We had a fairly intimate setting in the media center and the kids came knowing lots of good stuff about Ben Franklin.  They didn't know just the regular info off my flyer, or out of a history book, they knew deep details, some of which I barely remembered.  Did I have fun?  Yes, yes, yes.  Thank you Red Bug Elem.  Great kids.  Super fun learning, and isn't that what it's all about?</div> <bR> <div> I drove for what seemed days from Casselberry to Leesburg, a distance of about 40 miles as the crow goes.  I had just enough time for a fish sandwich at Burger King, then it was off to Leesburg Public Library.  I have been to this library quite a few times now and really appreciate the folks there.  This time I spoke to the younger set and we had a pretty informal, fun time.  Afterwards, a young man about 16 came up and chatted about Ben Franklin and John Adams.</div> <bR> <div> The day wasn't quite done.  Jumped in the van.  Stopped off to register at my hotel in Tavares, then 15 minutes later drove on to my evening program at the Howie-in-the-Hills library.  Although we had a nice-sized audience of people of all ages, the setting was such that I felt I spoke to many of them personally.  One lady in particular was such a good listener I drew energy and inspiration from her.  Another person was like a contrarian.  Rather than agree with everything I said, she seemed to challenge me.  It was done in a friendly, fun way and added something extra to the program.  Lots of fun at Howie!  Thank you!</div> <bR> <div> I found my way seven miles back to the Holiday Inn Express in Tavares and settled into a lovely big room for the weekend.  After working sooo hard, what a pleasure to be absolutely off with nothing particular to do.  Bliss.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Monday, January 11, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> SEFFNER, FL  They say Ben Franklin brought the worse cold in recorded memory with him from Philadelphia, but it's not true.  Remember, I live in South Carolina now!  Actually, I saw who brought the cold weather this year:  it was the snowbirds from Ontario driving funny looking cars that looked like they had been buried in snow and sludge for about three months, which I suppose they had.  It was 40 degrees with a wind-chill of below freezing, and these people were laying out by the pool soaking up the sun.</div> <bR> <div> Anyway, it's back to business this Monday morning.   Spoke at Montessori Academy and Montessori Prep in Tampa.  Wonderful kids.  Very nice people.  I remembered my visit to Montessori Prep three years ago, and it was nice to be invited back.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday, January 12, 2010  </B></div> <div>  </div> <div> DOVER, FL  They were spraying the strawberries with water to keep them from freezing as Ben Franklin drove to Dover Elementary.  Dover must be the strawberry capital of the world.  Next year I must plan my travel for a couple of months later so I can load up on my favorite berry.  I always return from my travels to Florida in January with a couple of huge bags of oranges . . . would be nice to have berries, too.</div> <bR> <div> A super time at Dover Elementary.  Staff kindly and surely guided me around and made sure everything was perfect for the show.  Before the show we talked about the history of Tampa Bay which I had gleaned a little of from Jules Verne's <I>From the Earth to the Moon</I>.  Interesting that about 300 people lived in Tampa Bay at the time of the Civil War.</div> <bR> <div> Spoke to fifth graders at Trinity School in Tampa.  It was a joy to challenge them, as they also challenged me.  A lot of fun learning history.  Thanks for inviting me to your school!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Wednesday, January 13, 2010  </B></div> <div>  </div> <div> TAMPA, FL  Ben's travels today carried him over a large part of the Tampa Bay area.  First stop, two shows in the library of Ruskin Elementary School.   From my point of view, could not have been better.  Lots of fun with the kids at Ruskin Elem.  Special thanks to the media center staff for providing me with a wonderful spot and setup to speak.</div> <bR> <div> My afternoon show was at Foundation Christian Academy in Valrico.  This is a very nice, new school and Ben had a lot of fun with the kids.  Thanks for the kind attention I received at your school!</div> <bR> <div> Not quite done!  Ben had to hustle on over to Pinellas County to speak at the Countryside Branch Library in Clearwater.  This was an amazing time.  I met a very smart little girl named Miriam.  I wasn't too surprised when she knew a lot of stuff about Ben Franklin, sometimes people do come prepared for my show.  Turned out she new just as much about Zeus and everything else in the world too.  </div> <bR> <div> There were other surprises at Countryside Library, too.  I met a young man who would soon be attending The University of Pennsylvania.  Steven, good luck!  I met a number of other high school students and just an incredible group of folks to came to see BF.  They enjoyed the show, as I did, and afterwards we all crowded together for a photo.  Wonderful!</div> <bR> <div> Turned out my favorite hotel in the world, Comfort Suites on Edgewater Drive in Clearwater was close by, and I repaired to my bay view room for a well-deserved feast and repose.   It wasn't home, but it was pretty darn good!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Thursday, January 14, 2010  </B></div> <div>  </div> <div> CLEARWATER, FL   At High Point Elementary Ben turned the mic over to a boy who was full of information about Ben Franklin.  He came up after the show and said he wanted to be just like me someday . . .  which was a first.  He was quite beside himself.   A very nice school with students who deserve such a nice place to learn.  Thank you!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Friday, January 15, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> SEMINOLE, FL  Ben was met at the office by Bradley, an eighth grade student who guided him around Starkey Elementary, made sure the sound was hooked up properly, and ensured Ben kept his date with the morning television show.   Everything was super and Ben had a lot of fun speaking to two groups of very well-mannered and mature students.  What a nice school!</div> <bR> <div> <B>January 26 - February 3, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> These were a wacky two weeks.  Normally, I go to central Florida for three weeks in January and begin my February Tour in the Pensacola-Mobile area.  Last year a Jacksonville school requested Ben visit during Catholic School week, which is usually the last week in January.  The upshot of all this is that catholic school week this year was the first week in February.  Lucky for me, some apparently chose to celebrate it when I was in the area in January and others when I was close by in February.  I spoke at seven or eight catholic schools altogether during this time, and a number of other schools as well.</div> <bR> <div> Thanks to the following schools for hosting Ben's show January 26-February 3:</div> <bR> <div> St Francis Xavier School, Brunswick, Georgia</div> <div> Screven Elementary, Screven, Georgia</div> <div> Passport School, Orlando</div> <div> Neptune Elementary, St. Cloud, FL</div> <div> Valrico Academy, Valrico, FL</div> <div> St James Cathedral School, Orlando</div> <div> Family Christian School, Winter Garden, FL</div> <div> St Patrick's Catholic School, Jacksonville</div> <div> Christ the King Catholic School, Jacksonville</div> <div> Annunciation Catholic School, Middleburg, FL</div> <div> St Matthews School, Jacksonville</div> <div> Cathedral Parrish School, St. Augustine</div> <bR> <div> My thanks to everyone I met at these schools, staff, teachers, students, who made my visits so much fun.  I was kindly welcomed everywhere I went, and I took away with me from each school many memories which return in a flood as I review the list of schools visited.  As I am quick to tell everyone, I had the most fun of all.  I just hope that a portion of the joy I felt was experienced by those who came to my show.  Thanks for making it possible!</div> <bR> <div> One reason this is a wacky year is that bookings are down.  The economy is weak and money is not plenty.  Most every week I have had a near-full schedule, but it has not been easy.  I elected not to travel up north this year, and that has cost me several weeks and many bookings.   Later in the spring I have a couple of long trips that aren't looking real good right now.  I may have to consolidate two weeks into one.  But, Ben is proud to say he is still in business and still has a job!  God willing and the price of gas doesn't rise, 2010-2011 will be his best year ever.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>February 8-11, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> A continuation of one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record . . .</div> <bR> <div> Everywhere I have gone this winter I have frozen.  My travels have taken me to Florida, southern Alabama, and southern Georgia.  I can imagine what's going on in the rest of the country.   </div> <bR> <div> It was 28 degrees when I was in Orlando in early January.  In Tampa, a couple of weeks later, children sat outside in their overcoats and froze while listening to my show.  February 10 and 11 I was in Montgomery and Opelika, Alabama.  On  February 12 a world-class snow storm covered the south from I-10 to I-20, which included parts of northern Florida and most of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.   February 13 Ben awoke to 6” of snow on his lawn in Summerville, South Carolina, and he paid a guy $200 to clean up tree debris.</div> <bR> <div> Oh, well, at least I have had no programs snowed out or cancelled on account of cold weather.</div> <div> Knock wood.</div> <bR> <div> Sunday, February 7 I drove about a million miles from Summerville, South Carolina to Dothan, Alabama.  GPS found a shortcut that saved about an hour of my expected travel time.  I listened to books on tape and learned a lot.  The drive was quite enjoyable.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Monday, February 8, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> DOTHAN, AL  Spoke at Providence Christian School, Northside Methodist Academy, and a school located in a mental health education center in Dothan.  Wow, life is at it's finest.  I'm doing what I love, what I'm good at, what others appreciate.  I am so thankful.  Thank you for hosting my show!  From my point of view, each program today totally maxxed out, was as good as it could have been.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday, February 9, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> OZARK, AL  Up the highway in Ozark, Alabama Ben stopped off to speak to the 6<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> graders at D. A. Smith Middle School.<B>  </B>Could not have been better.<B>   </B>Students were mature and well-mannered. <B> </B>Ben appreciated the nice comments afterward from students and staff.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Wednesday, February 10, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> MONTGOMERY, AL  Spoke at Trinity Presbyterian School and Evangel Christian Academy in Montgomery, Alabama.  I have some wonderful stories of this day that I will tell later.  Wonderful schools.  Great kids.  Just a lota fun.  Thank you!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Thursday, February 11, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> OPELIKA, AL  This was a busy day where I spoke at Jeter Primary and Morris Avenue Intermediate schools in Opelika, Springwood School in Lanet, then drove six hours  home.  Very satisfactory.  Special thanks to principal Bill James at Jeter Primary for his interest in Benjamin Franklin, and for making the call that brought me to his school.</div> <bR> <div> This <I>is</I> a wacky year.  Bookings are down.  Booking fees are down.  It's snowing and freezing cold everywhere-and yet I feel this year Ben (me) has never been better.  My programs are going so well that I feel blessed and privileged to be able to do them.  I feel, not in a negative way, that my programs, as works of art, are worth many times the money I receive for doing them.  Unfortunately, when I die (long years from now) my work will not be preserved to be rediscovered in future generations.  What I do now, the moments I have with audiences, is a slice of time that will only live on in the minds of people who attended and myself.  That is enough.  </div> <bR> <div> Here is another not exactly random thought:</div> <bR> <div> I feel that soon the whole world may know and understand that Benjamin Franklin is, without a doubt, the greatest American whoever lived.  I hope to be the one to call this fact to its attention</div> <bR> <div> <B>Monday, February 22, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> SUMMERVILLE, SC  Ben had a great time speaking at a school very close to his home.  Had I been in the mood, I could have walked to Summerville Catholic School, or riden my bike.  Ben was well-received and the program went very well.  Oh, by the way, happy birthday, George!</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday, February 23, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> GOOSE CREEK, SC  A return visit to speak to the second graders at Goose Creek Primary School.  Thanks so much for inviting Ben again!  A super audience.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Wednesday, February 24, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> MYRTLE BEACH, SC  Spoke at Palmetto Bays and Pee Dee elementary schools and Myrtle Beach Intermediate School in Horry County on February 24 and 25.  I had a great time everywhere I went and I thank the people who made my visits possible.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Thursday, February 25, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> CLINTON, NC  I had a nice drive from Myrtle Beach to Harrells, North Carolina.  Listened to books on tape while I followed faithfully the driving directions of my GPS.  A couple of times I noticed Garmin had me retrace my route or drive smack through a town (Whiteville) that I probably didn't need to do.  Oh, well, the civil war was raging on my tape so as long as I had it to Harrells before my program everything was cool.</div> <bR> <div> Ben has had a long-standing relationship with Harrells Christian Academy.  It was fun and nice to return to a place that has hosted my programs since the the mid 90s.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Friday, February 26, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> CLINTON, NC  Ben spoke un poco de español at Union Elementary near Clinton, North Carolina.  Very well-mannered and fun group to speak to.  I had a blast.</div> <bR> <div> <B>March 1-5, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> My travels during Read Across America Week carried me from the low country of South Carolina to south-central Georgia and back.  Thanks to the following schools that hosted my program this week:</div> <bR> <div> Patrick Henry Academy, Estill, SC; Ridgeland Elementary, SC; Thomas Jefferson Academy, Louisville, GA; Brentwood School, Sandersville, GA;  Northwest Elementary School, Dudley, GA; Sacred Heart Catholic School, Warner Robins, GA;<B>  </B>Cherokee Elementary School, Americus, GA;<B> </B> Lake Joy Primary School, Warner Robins.  </div> <bR> <div> Special thanks to Dr. Wanda Jackson at Cherokee Elementary who has had Ben speak to her students three or four years in a row.  This year was the best ever!</div> <bR> <div> <B>March 8-12, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> This week Ben traveled through eastern South Carolina and North Carolina, in most cases towns </div> <div> he has visited since the mid-1990s. </div> <bR> <div> Williamsburg Academy, Kingstree, SC  Thanks for having Ben back for the third or fourth time!</div> <bR> <div> W. H. Knuckles Elementary, Lumberton, NC  Lots of fun.  Two super audiences!</div> <bR> <div> Armstrong Elementary, Eastover, NC  A day they and I will never forget.</div> <bR> <div> Pope John Paul II School, Southern Pines, NC  A warm, appreciative and very knowledgeable audience.  A great time.</div> <bR> <div> Hefner Elementary, Fayetteville, NC  Very friendly media specialist who loved biographies, books, reading and history!</div> <bR> <div> W. H. Robinson Elementary, Lumberton, NC  Nice comments after the program.  A great time!</div> <bR> <div> Grifton School, NC  Friendliest school Ben has visited in a while.  Staff and kids very nice to old Ben.</div> <bR> <div> <B>March 22, 23, 29, 30, 31 -- a working vacation</B></div> <bR> <div> The idea was to spend a couple of days in Georgia, drive to Mississippi for a short vacation, and return to do some gigs in northern Alabama.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>Monday, March 22, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> ATHENS, GA  Athens Montessori School.  This is a very cool and fun school.  Kids were the best and Ben had so much fun he didn't want to leave.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday, March 23, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> ATHENS, GA  Oconee County Elementary School, Watkinsville.  Super programs.  Perfect.  The audiences made Ben look very good, motivated him to perform at the highest level possible.</div> <bR> <div> Athens Christian School.  A very nice school.  Staff and students very friendly.   </div> <bR> <div> <B>Monday, March 29, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> BOAZ, AL<B>  </B>Carlisle Elementary School.  A great time.  Large audience and program could not have been better.  Very kind comments after the show.</div> <bR> <div> <B>Tuesday, March 30, 2010  </B></div> <bR> <div> HUNTSVILLE, AL  Huntsville Christian Academy.  The greatest show on earth performed for a very appreciative audience.   Lots of fun.  Headmaster said nice comments afterwards.</div> <bR> <div> Eastwood Elementary, Decatur.  Gosh, should a person be allowed to have so much fun while working?  Thanks Eastwood for inviting Ben back to your school!  Yoshino cherry trees blooming everywhere in Decatur--it looks like Washington D.C.!  Ginger and I drove around dumbfounded.</div> <bR> <div> Decatur Public Library.  It was great being invited back to Decatur Public Library.  Spoke to a nice family audience that was appreciative of my efforts.  Bought a new copy of <I>The Many Lives of Ben Franklin</I> for 25 cents and <I>The Encyclopedia Britannica </I>(37 volumns, fine leather<I>) </I>for $10 at the library bookstore.  The encyclopedias are beautiful, inside and out.  They are priceless to me.  This is undoubtedly the bargain of my life to date and likely will never be surpassed..</div> <bR> <div> <B>Wednesday, March 31, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> Our little vacation tour ended at Holy Family Parochial School, Huntsville.  My visit had been prepared for and the students were primed for Ben.  A lively interaction between Ben and students enabled everyone to have a good time.  A warm glow followed me out the school, into the parking lot, into the van, and with me for the eight hours it took to drive home to Summerville.  Thank you, Holy Family School!       </div> <bR> <div> <B>April 13-30, 2010</B></div> <bR> <div> April was my final month for schools this year, and I spent my time in North Carolina and Tennessee.  I find it interesting that if you connect these two states, which really look like they should be connected, they would extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.  That's quite a ways.  When I think of Nags Head or Elizabeth City, and then I think of Memphis, well, that is half a world a part!</div> <bR> <div> The following are the schools I performed at this April, a year where spring came about three weeks later than normal.</div> <bR> <div> Bethesda Academy, Durham, N.C.  Thanks for inviting Ben back!</div> <div> Pilot Elementary, Greensboro, N.C.  Thank you Pilot Elementary PTA!</div> <div> Moss Street Elementary, Reidsville, N.C.  Thanks for inviting Ben back!</div> <div> St. Leo School, Winston Salem, N.C.   A wonderful time, thanks!</div> <div> Wilkes County Library, North Wilkesboro, N.C.  An evening to remember.  Thank you.</div> <div> Dyllis Elementary, Harriman, Tn.  Friendly kids and staff.  Lots of fun!</div> <div> Baxter Elementary, Tn.  A great, great day. Awesome.</div> <div> Woodland Elementary, Johnson City, Tn.  Super.  Could not have been better or more fun for Ben.  A great way to complete his school year.  </div> <bR> <div> My programs have gone so well this year, have been so much fun to do, I'm kind of sad to see the school year end.  Then again, the travel takes a toll.  I suppose it's time to resume my Spanish lessons, play the digital piano, lower my golf handicap, and spend some time every day in my Nags Head hammock.  Best wishes to every one who hosted my program this year and every one who attended it.  I hope you enjoy your summer as much as I intend to mine! </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" Bens Travel Journal "><U><B>  Ben's Travel Journal  </B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Magic of Reading"><U><B>The Magic of Reading</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>