Program Description
Event Details
This year, the Chetco Library is an official drop-box location for Dear Stranger, an annual letter-exchange project!
Dear Stranger is a letter-exchange project from Oregon Humanities that connects Oregonians through the mail to share experiences, beliefs, and ideas. Everyone is invited to participate--whatever your age, your place of residence, or your circumstances, Dear Stranger wants to hear from you.
Fall 2024 theme
Participants are invited to write around a specific theme. The theme this fall is: What is the Oregon you want to live in? The United States declared its independence nearly 250 years ago. What do you hope the next 250 years will hold for Oregon and the country? How will people practice independence, interdependence, or both? If you don't live in Oregon, think about your own community. What is the world you want to see, now and in the future?
How to participate
1. Write a letter. Address it "Dear Stranger." Fill a page or two, or more if you're inspired. Feel free to include a photo, a drawing, a recipe, or anything else that will fit in a standard letter-sized envelope. You can answer the questions above, or you can write about any topic that interests you.
2. Fill out the form on the inside of the envelope (you can pick this up at the library) and sign the permission agreement.
3. Drop your letter in the red box at the library to return it to Oregon Humanities. You can also choose to put a stamp on the envelope and drop it in the mail. Please keep in mind that your letter must be post-marked by October 31, 2024.
What happens next?
When you write to Dear Stranger, your letter will be swapped with one from another writer. They will get your letter; you will get theirs. The exchange is anonymous, and you can share as little or as much information about yourself as you like.
Letters will be mailed to participants in November 2024.
If you have questions about Dear Stranger, please contact programs@oregonhumanities.org. For more information about the project, please visit http://www.oregonhumanities.org/programs/dear-stranger/