Above: A gallery show displaying the rippling effect of mentoring is now on display at Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont. Jen Kahler, executive director of Kinship of Martin County, is pictured with two letters which will be featured in the show.

FAIRMONT — A unique gallery show that highlights the rippling effects of mentoring is on display at Red Rock Center for the Arts in Fairmont now through Sept. 17. The show is being hosted by Kinship of Martin County.

Jen Kahler, executive director of Kinship of Martin County, said this is the first time they’ve done an event like this. She explained that the idea came from a storytelling certification class she took from an organization called The Hearth, which is based near Portland, Oregon.

“One of the things we’re supposed to do is come up with a final project of sorts and this is that final project for me,” Kahler said.

She said storytelling could be in the form of traditional verbal storytelling or visual storytelling.

“Because my work is in mentoring, I thought it would be fun to do a storytelling presentation centered around mentoring,” she explained.

This led her to the idea of getting handwritten stories from people who had mentors that impacted their life. Kahler reached out to Sonja Fortune at the Red Rock Center to see if there was some time to fit the show in before the Red Rock’s floors are re-done later this month.

“I knew I might be getting in a little over my head, but I still wanted to try it,” Kahler said.

She started reaching out to people asking for a handwritten story about someone who mentored them at some point in their life. Now, she has about 17 written stories from people in the community, including some from people involved in Kinship.

“Stories inspire other people to tell stories. The hope with this is as people look at and read the stories of other people who have been mentored, that would inspire them to think about someone who has mentored them,” Kahler said.

While Kahler’s involved in Kinship and some of the stories are from others in Kinship, she stressed that the show is really about the larger story of mentoring.

She also views it as a positive opportunity to connect with people.

“So much of what’s going on right now in the world is a divisive thing, but telling stories is something that generally tends to bring people together because you can’t argue with an experience that someone has had. It’s not an opinion thing but a part of who they are,” Kahler said.

Kahler said the plan is to have an open mic night where people can come in and share a story about someone who has mentored them or who had a positive impact on their life. That will take place on Sept. 17 and it will be open to the public. Kahler said they plan to have a dessert available in order to celebrate the stories that people have shared.

Another thing to be celebrated is that 2020 was actually Kinship’s 20th anniversary in the community.

“Because Covid happened we didn’t get a chance to have a big celebration. I look at this a little bit as of chance to celebrate mentoring because we didn’t get to do that last year,” she said.

Kahler said that while it’s not an official anniversary celebration of sorts, it’s a good time to honor the mentoring effort in Martin County. She said Kinship is always looking for mentors and there’s currently about 25 children on the waiting list.

Just as the handwritten stories are from people of all ages and backgrounds, Kahler said the mentors in Kinship are all over the board.

“We have mentors who are barely out of college and mentors who are in their 70s,” she said.

To learn more about mentorship opportunities at Kinship, visit kinshipofmartincounty.com. To view the display of handwritten stories and photos, visit the Red Rock Center in Fairmont during gallery hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. and after hours by appointment.