Wit, Wisdom, Frolic and Fun

About the Book

It is amazing what a creative, resilient, wild child can do with a mountain landscape and little supervision. While some of Lorraine’s stories seem hard to believe, every single one is true. Growing up in the hollers of West Virginia, her childhood was shaped by a unique culture, sharp humor, and deep-rooted community ties. Written from a young person’s perspective, this memoir is both a nostalgic journey and an inspiration for Appalachian communities everywhere.

About the Author

“I cherish the informal education that I received through the wit and wisdom of both my mother and my grandmother from, as they would say, the school of hard knocks in West Virginia.” Lorraine Kaul Let’s talk about the woman who grew up in West Virginia. Lorraine has been described as having a unique voice in her memoirs about growing up in the hollers of West Virginia, sharing the charm of an Appalachian accent in her story telling. Her sense of humor, with twinkly eyes, her quirky mischievousness, and being delightfully feisty sent her on many adventures with both family and friends. Spirited and colorful, embracing her life with her husband Bill, their dogs Sundance and Maggie, their daughter Shannon and her husband Brian, their grandchildren, Dakotah and Sianna, and her many friends with such enthusiasm, the world was always a better place with her energy. You felt like you had known her forever. Lorraine loved and enjoyed her life, tackling challenges, including her illness, with a strength and courageousness that could only have developed from her childhood experiences in the hollers, and the love and support of her husband, family, and friends. She had such determination to help people, not expecting accolades, just her desire to give her family and friends the knowledge that they were loved, respected, and a huge part of her life. One of her warmest achievements was authoring a book of poetry dedicated to her mother called, “Dandelions Don’t Need to Roar,” a collection of poetry written over the years as a gift for her mother’s birthday. She continued to “make annual treks in June to my mother’s grave in WV on her birthday” to meet up with family and friends for a graveside celebration. “I honor my mother with a new poem, composed and read for the occasion.” Lorraine’s career gave her the opportunity to touch many people’s lives, having reached hundreds, possibly thousands, of people with all of the prevention and mentoring programs she facilitated, such as violence prevention, bully prevention, conflict management, mediation and anger management training, alcohol and other drug abuse prevention, and child abuse prevention. Her professional accomplishments, degrees and certifications include a Bachelor’s Degree in English Education from West Virginia State College, Master’s Degree in Counseling with a specialty in Corrections from West Virginia University of Graduate Studies, Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Hartford, and RI and International Certification in Prevention. She was the owner, consultant, and trainer for UPTYME Prevention Services, a prevention training/consultation business, and had a background in family therapy and therapeutic foster care, group homes, and emergency shelter services. She also worked as an organizational consultant specializing in team building, strategic planning and facilitation skills. Lorraine had also traveled extensively to many states and countries, but ultimately set roots down in Foster, RI, with her husband, Bill. After a lengthy career in Rhode Island working with and mentoring at-risk youth and their families in prevention and treatment programs, Lorraine “retired.” Retirement definitely did not fit her personality, and within a short time, she signed up to the Lifelong Learning Collaborative’s Memoir class, becoming one of the coordinators. This class helped to direct her to the opportunity to “revisit treasured and unforgettable memories,” of which you are about to read. Enjoy!