Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling

Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling A regular storytelling/listening event held in Kankakee, IL

THIS EVENING!
03/29/2026

THIS EVENING!

Happy to partner on this with the crew at The Grow Center! Join us on Sunday.
03/11/2026

Happy to partner on this with the crew at The Grow Center! Join us on Sunday.

02/12/2026

Some updates from Yarn Factory Listeners!

First, THANK YOU! Thanks to everyone that is part of this unique community gathering. It is a special and important thing in our lives.

Secondly, we are going to take a break for a few months, do a reset and come back on June 9th.

In the meantime, we will be hosting storytelling workshops, planning for the coming months, tweaking our format, defining our mission and exploring what storytelling communities in other areas are doing.

We will be keeping you posted as to what is next here on social media, our local outlets and through old fashioned conversations. So, stay tuned for regular updates.

Again, thanks for being part of this, for sharing stories, for listening and for being so good to each other. We look forward to our Yarn Factory community to getting back together on June 9th.

It is Panini Night with Stella Bear Foods at storytelling tonight!
02/11/2026

It is Panini Night with Stella Bear Foods at storytelling tonight!

Tonight!
02/10/2026

Tonight!

Our next Yarn Factoy Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling will be Tuesday, Feb. 10th at 7:00pm at The Venu' Lounge in Downto...
02/09/2026

Our next Yarn Factoy Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling will be Tuesday, Feb. 10th at 7:00pm at The Venu' Lounge in Downtown Kankakee

We are excited to have Jeremy Van Kley as one of our storytellers!

Jeremy Van Kley is a lifelong Midwesterner who grew up around corn and football. Husband to Stacey and father to 3 incredible adult children, Jeremy first lived in Kankakee County from 1998 to 2002, and then moved back to the area 6 years ago. He and his family are grateful to have settled here and call Kankakee County home. Jeremy loves a lot of things, most notably food (both preparing and consuming), coffee, live music, reading cookbooks, watching the Cubs, walking in the woods, looking at art, and making new friends. Regarding that last one, he enjoys just about anything that involves connecting with others. So, if you’re up for it, there’s a pretty good chance Jeremy will want to grab a drink with you (and watch the Cubs).

Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00pm will be our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling event at The Venu' Loung...
02/09/2026

Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00pm will be our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling event at The Venu' Lounge in Downtown Kankakee.

We are excited to have Adrinne Walker as one of our storytellers.

Dr. Adrienne Walker is "Over 70 and Going Strong!”

Wife to Danny, a Vietnam Combat Veteran, mother of 2 adults children, grandmother of 8, and great grandmother of two. Born in Chicago, grew up in Pembroke/Hopkins Park area. In 1974, she started working in Kankakee and has been in the area since.

Her and Danny enjoy traveling, they are Old Skol "Chicago-Style Steppers, She loves old black and white movies.

She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and one of the founding members of the local Kankakee chapter.

Our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling I set for Tuesday, February 10 at 7:00pm at The Venu' Lounge in D...
02/09/2026

Our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling I set for Tuesday, February 10 at 7:00pm at The Venu' Lounge in Downtown Kankakee. We are excited to welcome Moran Beasley as one of our storytellers.

Moran Beasley has lived in Kankakee since 2007. His loving bride of over 25 years Allison is the director of the Kankakee Public Library. Moran is the proud father of 2 boys. He is usually recognized as someone other than himself. "Aren't you Allison's husband?" "Hey it's Parker's dad". Even though he grew up elsewhere, he has lived in Kankakee most of his adult life and considers Kankakee his hometown. Moran currently works from home for a mortgage company and enjoys his downtime watching Marvel and Star Trek, cheering on the Cubbies and going to see live music with his wife as much as possible.ysoo

Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00pm will be our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling event at The Venu' Loung...
02/09/2026

Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00pm will be our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling event at The Venu' Lounge in Downtown Kankakee.

We are excited to have Robert Bushey as one of our storytellers.

Robert Bushey, Jr. is a fifth generation native of Kankakee County, graduate of the Herscher School District and stock car racing fan of Kankakee Speedway. Robert lives in Limestone Township in the house his parents brought him home to from St. Mary’s fifty-five years ago this week. During and after college and seminary, Robert served congregations in Missouri, Indiana and Central Illinois before returning to the area to pastor Central Christian Church, Bourbonnais (2010-2022). He is a community organizer for local, state and national organizations working for peace and justice with equity for all people. He currently serves as Founder and Executive Director of The Grow Center, INC. in Bourbonnais, and Equity Diversity & Inclusion Director of the YWCA Kankakee. He is married to the Rev. Kelly Perotti, the father of two adult sons, podcaster (Stony Road), an amateur cyclist, kayaker, nature lover, innovator, Enneagram enthusiast, and enjoys reading the stories of famous naval voyages.

Tonight at The Venu' Lounge 7:00! Get there early to grab a beverage and a snack from Stella Bear Foods!
01/13/2026

Tonight at The Venu' Lounge 7:00! Get there early to grab a beverage and a snack from Stella Bear Foods!

Tuesday, January 13th at 7:00pm will be our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling event at The Venu' Lounge...
01/12/2026

Tuesday, January 13th at 7:00pm will be our next Yarn Factory Listeners: Kankakee Storytelling event at The Venu' Lounge in Downtown Kankakee.

We are excited to have Roland Johnson as one of our storytellers.

About Roland:
Roland was born in Detroit, Michigan and was moved to live with relatives in Kankakee, Illinois at the age of 13. He has been a lifelong resident of Kankakee since then attending Kennedy Junior High School, Kankakee High School and Westview High School. He received advanced education at Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL), Lincoln University (Jefferson City, MO) and Howard University (Washington, DC).

An appreciation for storytelling was instilled in him by his maternal grandmother Maude Redwine-Murden. “My earliest childhood memories include her sharing daily episodes of a day in the life of Bo**er.” Bo**er was a character she used to entertain not only Roland but every child that she had a hand in raising. Each of her stories were amusing, insightful and contained and taught valuable life lessons.

It was this wisdom and these life lessons that Roland carried with him as he pursued higher education as well all throughout the various jobs of his working career. Roland has touched the lives of countless individuals in his various positions of employment. This employment history includes: greenhouse worker at Turner-Henry Rose; warehouse and salesman at Alden’s department store; alternative school teacher and teacher for District 111; SIU Black Studies Department - Teaching Assistant; Consortium for Curriculum Change Instructor at Lincoln University; program supervisor for the Summer Program for Economically Disadvantaged Youth (SPEDY); Grant Writer for the Kankakee Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Center (KDARC); Correctional Educator, Casework Supervisor and Internal Affairs Officer at Dwight Correctional Center; Adjunct Instructor for Lake Land College, Joliet Junior College and Illinois State University; Evening supervisor, Support Services Supervisor, and Project Director of the Project Next Generation grant program at the Kankakee Public Library. Mr. Johnson retired from employment on January 1, 2023 and currently serves as the President of the Friends of the Kankakee Public Library.

Address

Kankakee, IL
60901

Telephone

+18159221219

Website

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