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PLE Chairperson had library card at ove of literature leads Bolton to festival position Jim Boltons love of literature stretches farther than his home library On the main floor of his Newmarket home his pas sion for literature is evident as clas sic and new novels line the shelves of multiple book cases in the living room and office But Mr Boltons love for the written word isnt confined to his home as he has just been elected the new chairperson of the Words Alive Literary Festival an annual celebration of literary arts at the Sharon Temple Historic Site Its an honour to be the face of the festival he said sipping from his coffee mug The whole thing is such a wonderful experience and a validation of my passion for lit erature His exposure to literature came at an early age He claims to have had his first library card at the age of two and has always found him self surrounded by books His first job was as a library page at the and library where he organized shelves checked in and out books and answered cus tomer questions Im pretty sure I still have my first paperback somewhere in the house he laughed My house is probably insulated with cartons of books His passion for literature fed his love of history He remembers as a child going on drives with his parents to visit various historical sites and museums He is a former employee of Old Fort York which is run by the Toronto Historical Board where he was a member of the guard He has fond memories of being a tour guide for a wide variety of groups ranging from stu dents to veterans and was present for the Queen Mothers visit It wasnt until his wife Aggie got her first job teaching at Huron Heights Secondary School that the family decided to relocate to Newmarket He now lives only two blocks from the library Through his employment as a book retailer at the local Chapters he met Words Alive Literary Festival founder Vali Stone who recognized his love for the written word She grabbed hold of me and thats basically how I got involved in the festival he said Its how I was introduced to the magic that Story by Teresa Cover photography by Mike Barrett When Jim Boltons nose isnt in a novel the selfproclaimed book worm enjoys tending to his gardens His love of gardening started in the junior garden dub in Grade happens up there every year He was immediately attracted to the idea of helping bring the event to life The hire of the ability to explore the grounds of the historic site combined with the mix of talent ed authors who would read their works and offer local writers work shops was something he just could not ignore There are so many things to enjoy like storytellers poets music and workshops he said It is so encouraging for upandcoming For more information about the Words Alive Festival visit authors and Im proud to be a part of ft For Mr Bolton it is a chance to be around new talent faces and ideas which only stokes the fire of his love of literature It is a chance for him to bond with others over a common interest and get excited about a longtime passion I think what keeps me going is the smiles on the faces of people who attend he said of his motiva tion to stay involved People arrive at 10 am and by the time they leave at 5 pm we have all become friends Throughout the year he is also involved in many local initiatives that promote the arts and local tal ent in Newmarket lie had a hand in creating an open night at Books Care and Things on Main Street the third Thursday of every month Anyone who wants to read can he said It encourages writ- The Perfect Mothers Day Gift ITS JIM BOLTON FINISHES OUR SENTENCES The last thing I was the Blue Ridge Festival mat is happening soon in York Region If stranded on an island I couldnt live without something to read some music probably jazz and a paint brush I would have the time to explore painting guilty pleasure is too much coffee I suppose People would be surprised to know when I worked at Old Fort York I did blacksmrthing I actually have some coal left in the basement and am thinking about building a blacksmith shelter in the backyard The musk I listen to most is and classical The best flavour of icecream is peach Its not easy to find these days my ijvvwiu puce m Main Street ft is unique and there is a sense of comrnunity there that is real ers and poets to do things in public in a large way When his nose isnt in a novel the self- proclaimed bookworm enjoys tending to his gardens and spending time creating delicious dishes in the kitchen Gardening is just something I have always done I was in the junior garden club when 1 was in Grade and have loved it ever since he said Im not brilliant at it by any means but I have fun As for his ability to cook he cred its his mother hours in the kitchen with him when he was young His sense of adventure possibly influenced by protagonists in some of his novels leads him to take long drives in the country which lets him discover small towns Its a little sense of adventure he said There is nothing like get ting lost on a country road 9058300411