Fundraiser To Support Prison Writings

By Nancy K. Crevier

Ridgefield writer and musician Chris Belden will host a fundraiser of live music and readings on Sunday, October 2, at The Hideaway Café on South Main Street, Newtown, from 3 to 5 pm, to benefit the publication of Sentences: A Book of Prose and Poetry Written by Inmates of the Garner Correctional Institution. A donation of $10 or more will secure a copy of the anthology, in what will be the only opportunity for the public to purchase a copy.

Sentences is being printed for the inmates, staff, and family of inmates and is not intended to be sold or published for the public, said Mr Belden, who is publishing the simple booklet at his own expense. He hopes that the October 2 fundraiser will help him offset those costs.

Mr Belden has taught writing at Fairfield University, as well as conducted numerous writing workshops and classes through Ridgefield Continuing Education. He is the author of several short stories, and will see the publication of his first novel, Carry-On, in January, by Rain Mountain Press in New York. He has been teaching creative writing to Garner inmates since October 2009.

“It started out as a project when I was working on my MFA at Fairfield University,” said Mr Belden. “Working in that environment seemed important to me, and I know how healing writing can be,” he said. After contacting Garner officials, Mr Belden was put in touch with prison librarian Mark Aldrich, who helped him implement the project.

“I collected all of this work over the two years, and wanted to publish it,” said Mr Belden. “I’m continually surprised by the writings that come out of this class. It is raw, honest, creative, and surprisingly vulnerable,” he said. “Every week we go in there, and [the prisoners in the class] really open up. It’s like a group therapy through writing, and safer,” Mr Belden said, adding that his experiences at Garner have proved inspirational to him.

A guitarist and songwriter, Mr Belden will be the featured performer at the fundraiser on October 2, and will present readings from the anthology.