The fourth annual “National Author’s Day” celebration features three  guest author presentations and a morning reception on Nov. 1.  This  free community celebration is a collaboration between the SUNY Morrisville Human Services Institute in collaboration with the Chenango County Historical Society. (Photo from CCHS)

NORWICH–  A free community celebration—sponsored by the SUNY Morrisville Human Services Institute in collaboration with the Chenango County Historical Society (CCHS)—will once again be hosted on Nov. 1.

The festivities feature three guest author presentations and a reception to honor writing contributors to the annual CCHS  Journal.

During guest author presentations, speakers will share about the writing process and what is involved in becoming a published author. The schedule of featured writers includes:

At 9 a.m. Steve Raymond’s “Mutterings & Sputterings”—Raymond became a storyteller some 15 years ago, when he began writing short stories about subjects that interested him at the time. He shared them with a few of his former high school classmates as they were preparing for their 40th  reunion. Over time, the list of readers expanded to more than 200 people.

At 9:45 a.m. Christian Vischi’s “Stitched Together: A History of the Norwich Knitting Co. and Walt Disney”—Join local author Vischi for the launch of his first full-length book. After earning a degree in English and Communications, Vischi worked for  The Evening Sun  and the  New Berlin Gazette. An antiques dealer for more than 10 years, he specialized in paper ephemera and Disneyana; today, he co-leads entrepreneurship at Colgate University.

At 10:30 a.m. Marilyn Higgins’s “Dreams of Freedom”—Higgins is a former chief economic development officer at National Grid and Syracuse University. Her extensive volunteer work with the Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor inspired her to write “Dreams of Freedom” to honor the people and places that shaped New York state during a critical period in American history.

At 11:15 a.m., the CCHS  Journal  Author’s Reception will begin, celebrating  Journal  authors of all editions; those who have contributed to the 2025 issue are invited to share their insight as a writer. This year’s article authors are:John J. Antonowicz, Jon Armstrong, Edward J. Erickson, Kaitlyn Finch, Ethan James, A. Gail Merian, Richard F. Palmer, Jerry E. Sayles, Ann Silverthorn, Micaela Wallace, Logan Waters, Richard White, and Howard Zendle.

All activities will be held at the SUNY Morrisville Norwich Campus, located at 20 Conkey Ave., Norwich. Thanks to Chobani and the Blue Star Café at NBT Bank, refreshments will be available throughout the event. For more information, email  info@ChenangoHistorical.org  or call (607) 334-9227.

First established in 1939, CCHS is the area’s premier heritage museum dedicated to celebrating local culture—its unique traditions and noteworthy stories.  Programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. Additional support for “National Author’s Day” has been provided by The Raymond Corporation. CCHS is also a proud partner of Bloomberg Connects, an app that allows visitors to enhance their exhibit experience through audio clips, videos, and more. Download this free digital museum guide via the Apple Store or Google Play, and visit  ChenangoHistorical.org  for more details about this and other museum programs.

The mission of CCHS is to explore the culture of Chenango County—its unique traditions and noteworthy stories—through the preservation and presentation of local heritage.

- Information from the CCHS