Founder Fran Lyons began Journey With Me in 1994 after earning her Bachelor's Degree in English from New England College. She was 50. She had raised three children and decided to get her degree after her youngest child left for college. Fran was surprised how quickly she came to love being back in class. Learning was exciting. Through her Short Story Workshop class, she found a new interest in life. She loved writing fiction. It allowed her to enter new worlds, and it gave her an outlet for her ideas.
Following her graduation, she wanted to continue writing and sharing her work with a group as she had done in class. She felt older adults had wonderful stories to tell and she wanted to help get their stories down and excite them about life as it is now, because she was grateful college had done that for her. Journey With Me was born.
Following her graduation, she wanted to continue writing and sharing her work with a group as she had done in class. She felt older adults had wonderful stories to tell and she wanted to help get their stories down and excite them about life as it is now, because she was grateful college had done that for her. Journey With Me was born.
President Kathleen Labonville (Fran's daughter) earned a Bachelor's Degree in English from Mount Holyoke College. She soon landed her dream job as editor of a large regional horse publication. She enjoyed many aspects of her work, but her favorite by far was working with the extensive group of freelance writers she recruited. Guiding writers in creating articles that came to life was rewarding, and she helped several writers grow more confident in their skills so that they could expand their writing careers.
Kathleen had often heard her mother's excitement about Journey With Me and all it was doing for people, and she soon knew it was time to use her love of writing, her editorial skills, and her real desire to do work which helps others to bring the program to as many people as possible.
Featured Writer Geoffrey Douglas is a long-time supporter of Journey With Me. Geoffrey is a former newspaper publisher, editor, columnist and reporter whose work has appeared in more than thirty magazines. His novels include The Game of Their Lives: The Untold Story of the World Cup's Biggest Upset, which was made into a major motion picture; Dead Opposite: The Lives and Loss of Two American Boys; Class: The Wreckage of an American Family, and The Classmates: Privilege, Chaos and the End of an Era. He is an adjunct professor of writing at the University of Massachusetts and resides in New Hampshire.
Journey With Me has gained national recognition through articles in Yankee magazine, Assisted Living Today and newspapers, radio appearances on NHPR, and as part of The Secrets of Aging, a traveling exhibit by Boston’s Museum of Science.
For more information about Journey With Me, please contact us.
