The Opening Exhibit and Awards Presentation of the annual Poetry and Illustration Contest was held at the Old Forge Library on Tuesday, March 22.
The theme this year was, “Things Remembered.”
There were196 poetry entries and 110 illustration entries submitted to the event.
Residents of towns and villages within Herkimer, Oneida and Madison counties, and the Town of Inlet were eligible to enter.
This year’s poetry judges were author/poets Joseph Bruchac and Mary Sanders Shartle. Illustration judges were artists, Suzanne Firsching and Tom Yacovella.
Firsching, Yacovella and Shartle attended the ceremony to congratulate the entrants and present Award Certificates to the first place and honorable mention winners.
Library Director Izzie Worthen, who organizes the event every year, welcomed the gathering that filled the Judith Cohen Memorial Wing before introducing Master of Ceremonies Michael Cunningham, Town of Webb School English teacher, who presented the awards.
First prize winners in grades K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 categories received a $50 U.S. Savings Bond and an Award Certificate.
Honorable Mention winners were presented Award Certificates.
The Adult winners received a periodical subscription of their choice.
The prizes were donated by Friends of the Old Forge Library members who also served refreshments following the ceremony.
The event is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the arts, administered by the Stanley Theater and Friends of the Old Forge Library.
