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The Ripple Effect

"Helping Hands During Hard Times"

The Ripple Effect is a multi-media, multi-venue year-long collage of shared reading, special events, theatrical productions, exhibits, discussions, films, and musical events that has been designed to promote active engagement with and creative response to great literature. Based upon the belief that literature and the arts are not only vital to the growth and wholeness of individuals but also the well-being of society as a whole, the goal of The Ripple Effect is to "promote literacy through the arts" and at the same time bring forward the issues and ideas at the heart of great literature. The Ripple Effect always begins a great book and a great play. This season, that book is John Steinbeck's continually relevant and compelling book, The Grapes of Wrath, and that play is a powerful stage adaptation by the same name. Copies of the book will be available free of charge throughout the community while the play will be presented in February by Richmond Civic Theatre for area audiences and at school day matinees. For younger readers, The Hundred Dresses will be made available to area schools. Containing similar themes, this work will also be presented in play form in April by Stage 1 Youth Theatre.

The Ripple Effect offers an opportunity for members of our community of any age to explore together a classic work of literature and respond to the interesting and challenging questions it raises. You are invited to explore our website and discover what The Ripple Effect has to offer you; a multi-faceted approach to interacting with a great book and its timeless themes.



  • Click here for history of The Ripple Effect
  • Click here for 2012-2013 Project Description


    • John Steinbeck,
    The Grapes of Wrath
    and the Great Depression


    Click here for links to learn more about Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, the Depression, the Dust Bowl, and the decades that formed and were formed by them. You can find sites containing curriculum resources for educators

  • IUELibGuide

    • Explore this site to find more photos,video clips, K-12 Curriculum links, related book lists and more about the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.


    Teacher's study guide for play click here.


    "Brother,
    Can You Spare a Dime?"

    The Ripple Effect's "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" fundraising project collected $125.60 for Open Arms Ministries. These anonymous spare-change donations were placed in "Spare a Dime" collection cans that were located at our Ripple Effect book sites throughout the community, as well as at RCT's "Grapes of Wrath" rehearsals. Also, at the conclusion of RCT's production, the cast members of "The Grapes of Wrath" generously contributed an additional $100 to Open Arms, making the total Ripple Effect gift to Open Arms Ministries $225.60. This fundraising project was inspired by the Ripple Effect's theme, "Helping Hands During Hard Times." It's the kind of assistance that the Joad family in "The Grapes of Wrath" would have appreciated! According to a spokesperson for Open Arms Ministries, "the poverty in our area is extreme and we most often collaborate with other agencies just to assist one client." For those in need, Open Arms has provided assistance with light bills, rent payments, medications, water and heat bills. Here's one example: a client who had been in two different shelters was awarded subsidized housing but had to come up with $36 for the rent in three days-- and needed Open Arms' help. "Only $36 stood between her remaining homeless and having her home. It is hard to realize that there are still people in our community with such limited resources that they could not scrape together $36."

    Open Arms Ministries



    Special thanks to:


    Book Sponsors:

    • Wayne County Foundation

    • Richmond Civic Theatre

    • Altrusa Club of Richmond

    • Hagerstown Library

    • Preble County Libraries

    • I.U. East Library

    • Morrisson-Reeves Library

    • Automated Controls and Electrical Supply LLC.

    • Cambridge City Library

    • Clarice and William Warrick

    • Book Club of Hagerstown Jefferson Twp. Library

    • Mary & Ray Zaleski

    • Rhett & Kelly Baumgartner

    • Gary & Ella Webb

    • David Cobine

    • Anonymous

    • Mary & George Schmid

    • Steve Holthouse

    • Gordan and Mary-Anne Thompson

    • June Miller

    • George Blakey