Dr. Elizabeth (Russell) Miller, Professor Emeritus, Memorial University in Bay Roberts August 16

Bay Roberts NL, July 23, 2009 – Clarence G. Mercer, Chair, Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation Inc. is pleased to announce that Dr. Elizabeth (Russell) Miller, Professor Emeritus, Memorial University, will be presenting "Uncle Mose: The Life and Times of Ted Russell" on Sunday, August 16th at 2:30 pm, in the Holdin' Ground Room, Bay Roberts Visitors’ Pavilion, Veterans' Memorial Highway near the Bay Roberts exit.

Mercer says, "The Foundation is extremely pleased that Dr. Miller, an avid supporter of our cultural project, has agreed to share her thoughts on her father’s life and literary works. Both bring us to outport Newfoundland as it existed about 60 years ago. Her presentation will be a highlight, building on this summer's Holdin' Ground Festival (www.bayrobertsevents.com)."

”The Holdin' Ground Room, surrounded with items of interest from my father's life, is the ideal setting for my presentation,” says Dr Miller. "The Room has a permanent display of Ted Russell memorabilia that was donated by our family; a display of sketches by Newfoundland artist, Sylvia Ficken, that is based on "Tales from Pigeon Inlet"; a large-size cut out of my father, when he left Coley's Point at sixteen to teach in Pass Island; a portrait of my father by Newfoundland artist, Gerry Squires; as well as a large storyboard devoted to my father's unique life story which is so tied to the history of outport Newfoundland in the pre- Confederation, Confederation, and immediate post- Confederation era."

Both Dr. Miller and her brother, Kelly Russell, have been instrumental in preserving outport Newfoundland's cultural traditions. Dr. Miller has encapsulated her father's life, times, and works in her biography, Uncle Mose: The Life of Ted Russell, and her edited collection of her father's works: The Chronicles of Uncle Mose, both published by Flanker Press. Kelly Russell is a highly respected performing traditional musician and award winning story teller. In addition, with his Pigeon Inlet Productions (www.pigeoninlet.com), he has produced a three volume CD collection for the 50th anniversary of Uncle Mose, entitled "Tales from Pigeon Inlet," as well as the works of Newfoundland traditional musicians such as Rufus Guinchard and Emile Benoit.

The Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation is devoted to the preservation of the values and traditions that make Newfoundland a holdin' ground, as depicted in Ted Russell's play of the same name. This summer, the town, with the assistance of Heritage Canada, has been sponsoring a "Holdin' Ground" Festival (www.bayrobertsevents.com) with "A Time in Pigeon Inlet," a dinner theatre (www.pigoeninlet.ca), featuring Kelly Russell, Ted's son, and the Pigeon Inlet Players, which is continuing every Saturday night until August 29th.

Mercer goes on to say, "Part of our mandate is to develop events promoting the cultural history of our municipality, region and province. Because of the great interest, more events and presentations are being planned for the future.”

For further information contact:

Clarence G. Mercer, Chair
Sandra Roach, General Manager
Bay Roberts Cultural Foundation, Inc.
Town of Bay Roberts NL A0A 1G0
Telephone: 709-683-1195
Email: sroach@pigeoninlet.ca
www.pigeoninlet.ca