So if I'm the Executive Director of the Decatur Book Festival, why the hell haven't I posted about it?
Quite frankly, I thought our crack communications staff at Lenz was doing such a great job, and didn't need my help.
But this past Sunday there was a very nice article about the festival, Tom and me in the AJC. It was flattering, but I was a little uncomfortable about some aspects of it. I wrote a letter to the editor, but they probably have better things to print. So I am offering it up to anyone who happens upon my little post here:
Actually, it takes more than a village...
The article about the growth of the Decatur Book Festival that ran Sunday was accurate as far as it went, but from my perspective as the Executive Director, it was a bit incomplete.
The article left out the festival’s dynamic working board, and that is a big part of the story.
Alice Murray and Bill Starr, president and vice president of the board respectively, had been planning an Atlanta book festival when they were co-opted into the idea of holding in Decatur. Alice brought the AJC with her, and Bill the Georgia Center for the Book, and its tireless and endlessly creative assistant director Joe Davich.
Director Richard Lenz helped us understand that the best book event in the world would be a failure if we didn’t do good job getting the word out. His continued mentorship on that front, and his firm’s astounding commitment to the festival is central to the festival’s success.
Judy Turner, our treasurer and President of Decatur First Bank, has seen us through very lean times, makes sure we spend our money efficiently, and continues to make sure that crackpots like Tom and me don’t get in over our heads.
Linda Harris, the great, great, granddaughter of Joel Chandler Harris, has literature in her veins and the City of Decatur in her heart. She has been the key to the city and the festival having such a great healthy relationship--which is not something we take for granted.
I could go on--Elizabeth Dewberry, Bill Means, Meg Holman, Brett Gadsden and Rob Jenkins round out a great working board, and they all bring time and resources that are key to this festival getting better every year.
But one of the biggest pieces we didn’t get to talk about in the article is Mary Flad the third contract worker on the festival, handling all the street fair logistics with a remarkable level of cheer and patience.
When I look at the growth of the festival, I am flabbergasted. But when I look at the team of people that work on this thing, it becomes a little less surprising. It’s this kind of support structure that allows Tom and me to continue to dream big.
Daren Wang
Executive Director
AJC Decatur Book Festival presented by DeKalb Medical