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• NCSG Spring Retreat at Wildacres, "Why Did This Story Choose Me?"

  • Start
    05/15/2026
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • End
    05/17/2026
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    Wildacres Retreat, 1565 WILDACRES ROAD, LITTLE SWITZERLAND, NC

  Register

  NCSG Spring Retreat - Wild Acres

  May 15 - 17

  Friday 3 pm to Sunday noon

  “Why Did This Story Choose Me?”

  ​Info about Wildacres Retreat HERE

  A space for stories, fun, music, play, and renewal, as well as focused learning through group process. Our group process will include activities such as story circles, paired sharing, and rounds of constructive feedback. We will use techniques learned over the last five years in our Monday STORY ZOOM group. These supportive structures help everyone participate, share, and reflect in ways that are comfortable for them. 

  
  
  

  
  OUR RETREAT LEADERS: 

  Peg Helminski was Emcee of our 2024 Old North State Storytelling Festival and one of the Featured Tellers for the 2025 Festival. Peg is an expert group facilitator with over 45 years of experience training adults. She holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology with a concentration in group process and a dual major bachelor’s degree in English and behavioral science. In 2019, she also completed a coaching certificate program. A Distinguished Toastmaster, she has won numerous public speaking and leadership awards. Peg has been steeped in story her entire life, selling her first published story at age 14. As the Minnesota State Director for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Peg coordinated conferences and provided dozens of workshops and conference sessions on writing for the children’s market. A leadership development coach, she has provided training on effective communication and presentation skills. Clients have included the Duke Radiology Administrative Team, James Madison University Alumni Association, AT&T Corporate Center, the National Association of Health Services Executives, and the Toastmasters International Leadership Development Institute. She is a member of the International Coach Federation, Toastmasters International, both the North Carolina and New Jersey Storytelling Guilds, and the Society of Children’s Bookwriters and Illustrators. Peg is committed to drawing out the best in every teller. She is a regular member of the Monday STORY ZOOM group. https://peghelminski.com/

  
  Steve Tate is the Past President of the NC Storytelling Guild and current Membership Coordinator & Treasurer. He co-founded the Monday STORY ZOOM group in 2000 during the Pandemic. Now in its sixth year, this group has an email list of 100 storytellers from all over the country. 12 to 20 members meet weekly to share stories and constructive feedback. Drawing on his group process skills (as a former psychotherapist and pastoral counselor) and multiple storytelling workshops, Steve moderates this popular group. He has studied with Megan Wells, Donald Davis, and others. Steve has performed five times at Connie Regan Blake’s “A Slice Of Life” in Black Mountain, NC. Recently, the National Storytelling Network awarded Steve a 2026 Regional Service and Leadership Oracle Award. This award recognizes his leadership in enhancing the storytelling culture within our Southeast Region. The Rev. Dr. Steve Tate is a retired clergyperson and a retired goat cheese dairy farmer, but that’s another story!

  https://www.stevetatestoryteller.com/

  Objective: 
  

  Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the emotional connections common to the human experience, why their story matters to both the teller and the listener, and the structural elements that make stories memorable.

  To help everyone feel prepared and confident, participants are encouraged to bring a story they would like to explore during the retreat. If you do not have a specific story in mind, you may arrive with story ideas or personal experiences you would like to develop. For those who prefer, prompts and inspiration will be provided at the retreat to help you select and shape your story. This flexible approach ensures that everyone can participate in a way that works best for them.

  
  

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