An Evening with Dan Needles, author, playwright, and winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour, will take place on Saturday April 1 at the Harmony Centre in downtown Owen Sound. Titled "Why Can't Sheep Be More Like Trees?" this evening of laughter and storytelling is a fundraiser for the Intersections Wood Collaborative, a non profit woodworking studio which offers wood-focused learning opportunities for everyone.

Dan Needles, a local author living near Collingwood, wrote the very popular Wingfield Farm series which have played at Stratford, the Royal Alex in Toronto, and across Canada. For 30 years, he has been bringing the characters and stories of his mythical Persephone Township to life, carrying a message of neighbourhood and the power of farmer thinking. According to the Globe & Mail, “Persephone Township may not be on the map, but it is somewhere near the Canadian psyche.”

Intersections Wood Collaborative (IWC) emerged from the legacy of world-recognized artist Stephen Hogbin. Now formally incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation, IWC continues to be a welcoming place for those who share Stephen’s infectious optimism for a better future through the arts; programs include classes in woodworking and design, as well as group projects, and activities which show respect and care for trees and the environment. Information and registration details on current classes is available at intersectionsstudio.com.

The Evening with Dan Needles will include desserts and a cash bar, as well as silent and live auctions (with auctioneer Rob Snider) featuring exquisite works by Stephen Hogbin, Ruth Gowdy McKinley, Kayo O’Kay and others. Doors open at 6:30pm at the Harmony Centre, 395 9^th Street East, Owen Sound. Tickets ($35 advance/$45 at the door) are available online at www.intersectionsstudio.com; and in person at Intersections (open 10:00 to 3:00 Tuesday to Thursday at 299 10^th Street East, Owen Sound). All proceeds support the IWC in providing wood-focused learning opportunities for everyone.