Tom Portwood: Wegener an inspiration to all
On Tuesday, July 12th, Gillian Wegener will conclude her outstanding four-year tenure as the City of Modesto’s Poet Laureate. Our city and the broader community of Stanislaus County owe a great debt of gratitude to Gillian for all she has accomplished both prior to and during the full length of her laureateship. She has worked tirelessly to not only promote poetry in Modesto and throughout Stanislaus County, but to also bring people together and foster a vibrant sense of community pride. Gillian has done all of that with characteristic selflessness, dedication, good humor, and warmth.
Those of us lucky enough to work closely with her on the board of directors of the Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center (an agency Gillian envisioned, founded, and has led, as president, since its inception three and half years ago) know firsthand of the depth and passion Gillian brings to every project. While a new poet laureate will take the post on Tuesday, Gillian’s leadership will continue to be an inspiration for us all. Yes, thank you, Gillian, for all that you do.
Tom Portwood, Secretary, Board of Directors for the Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center
This story was originally published July 11, 2016 at 11:21 AM with the headline "Tom Portwood: Wegener an inspiration to all."