HASIG has a new project in the works and you can help! Co-ordinated by Cristy West, it will be called the "Treasure Chest." Its goal will be to make available on the web a cross-indexed collection of multicultural stories which practicing storytellers have found to be useful in a variety of "healing" settings. Cristy will be assisted in this endeavor by Rose Owens and Karen Chace, with Mark Bassett managing website presentation. The plan is to have this feature up by next summer or early fall, with perhaps 20 or 30 tales for starters, more later.

Each story entry will include the following:

• Familiar title (with alternative titles in a paren.)
• Country of origin
• Length (short-medium-long)
• Thumb nail description, plot summary
• Full text of story
• Name of a person (as told by) whose full text version is posted
• Sources where versions of this tale can be found: print sources, audiotapes, websites
• Tips for implementing, e.g., useful warm-ups and follow-ups activities, ideas for shaping a healing interaction, etc., and the name of the storyteller who contributed them.

Additionally, stories will be categorized by healing topic, e.g., bereavement, hospital, troubled/at risk adolescents, substance abuse prevention, etc. and by age appropriateness

Cristy, Rose and Karen are now in the process of compiling a list of tales for posting. Cristy will also be seeking individual submissions from tellers with experience working in healing settings. If you have a story and thoughts on ways of using it, please contact Cristy West at Cristywest@aol.com

The Healing Arts SIG Board of the National Storytelling Network is committed to effectively serving and supporting all our members.

Based on members' input, we are embarking on a strategy to better serve and support story practitioners in their local communities. We hope to create a volunteer network of individuals who will collaborate with the HASIG board in this endeavor.

These community liaisons will:

• listen to the needs of storytellers within their local community,
• inform the HASIG board of those needs,
• create opportunities within their community for story practitioners to gather and share their interest in storytelling as a healing art.

We are seeking individuals who are:

• good listeners.
• aware of the needs of their local community.
• involved with the use of story as a healing art.
• able to devote their time and organizational skills.
• a member of NSN and the Healing Arts SIG or willing to join.

If you are personally dedicated to the healing art of storytelling, enjoy bringing people together, like to communicate with others, have organizational skills, believe in the mission of HASIG, and are willing to give of your time please join us in this cutting edge role of community liaison.

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