Founder/Publisher/Editor

 

Priceless!

 

 

Dear Friends,

An opportunity is clearly defined as a favorable or advantageous circumstance, or simply a chance for progress or advancement. As the late Eleanor Roosevelt so eloquently stated, “If you prepare yourself … you will be able to grasp opportunity for a broader experience when it appears.” A wise woman indeed, if I say so myself, she virtually pinpointed my thoughts when The Pepper Tree Magazine was planted in the garden of this community.

We are proud to kick off the first Pepper Tree Magazine sponsorship campaign titled: “Planting Literary and Artistic Seeds in the Community.” Our mission is to give unknown writers and illustrators of all ages a chance to become known. With the mission statement in place, this magazine has branched out into the hands of this fine community, now in over 500 locations and many schools throughout two counties. During the past two years, The Pepper Tree has been instrumental in providing:
 

                  ♦  A platform for aspiring writers and artists to express their creativity

                      and receive that byline they so deserve;

                  ♦  A tool for educational practices within local schools, resulting in a

                      significant increase in standardized test scores;

                  ♦  A launch pad for many featured local artists, later commissioned due

                      to their illustration’s appearance on the cover.

Some future projects yet to be developed include:

                  ♦  Providing a copy of The Pepper Tree to every classroom in

                      Sarasota and Manatee Counties;

                  ♦  Implementing writing contests, camps, and workshops for all ages;

                  ♦  Adding more pages to the magazine to offer more opportunities for

                      writers to be published;

                  ♦  Expanding the readership by increasing our distribution and allowing

                      more people to express themselves through the written word;

                  ♦  Creating a scholarship program for students in our surrounding communities.
 

The Pepper Tree is a venue that provides the opportunity for a diverse and multifaceted community to participate and be encouraged, while strengthening confidence and simultaneously inspiring a love for reading and writing. We thank you for your partnership in this campaign for literacy.

 

Julie Ann Howell
Founder/Publisher/President
“Planting Literary and Artistic Seeds in the Community”