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Ohio Poetry Day 2015 Contest Winners Announced

Ohio Poetry Day 2015 is fast approaching, and this week the winners of the OPD poetry contests were released. We're excited to see so many OPA members on the list as winners and honorable mentions, including recent feature Kerry Jensen Trautman and past workshop leader Diane Kendig--both of whom won multiple awards--as well as the OPA High School Contest winner Sara Abou Rashed.

There were more than 1,400 entries to this year's OPD contests, which are open to anyone and offer a chance to win prizes and be published in the annual Best of Ohio Poetry Day anthology.

This year's OPD will take place at the University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, October 16–17, 2015.

"All interested writers and friends are welcome!" says OPD co-coordinator Bill Reyer. "Members of the Ohio Poetry Association who have never attended Ohio Poetry Day will find the event in October an enriching and warm experience."

The event includes a reading by the Ohio Poet of the Year (to be announced soon!), a chance to workshop the poems chosen for the Evan Lodge Awards, readings of the winning works, a gift shop, and more.

Congratulations to all the winners and honorable mentions in this year's OPD contests!

Ohio Poetry Day 2015 Winners List


1. OPD Special Award, 73 entries
1st - Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH
2nd - Maureen Fry, Conover, OH
3rd - Dalene Stull, Danville, OH
HM - Carolyn Lucas, Toledo, OH; Lisa Brandstetter Holt, Mt. Orab, OH; Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK; Chuck Salmons, Canal Winchester, OH; Rose Ann Spaith, Columbus, OH; Madelyn Eastlund, Beverly Hills, FL; Rod Best, New Richmond; Amanda Stovicek, Shaker Heights, OH; Linda R. Frisa, Cincinnati, OH; Deborah Walker, Conover, OH

2. Got It Covered, 10 entries
1st - Sara Abou Rashed, Columbus, OH
2nd - Gloria R. Milbrath, Fort Dodge, IA
HM - Gwen Deighton, Ashville, NC; Mary Turzillo, Berea, OH

3. Evelyn Barker Award, 75 entries
1st - Diane Kendig, Canton, OH
2nd - Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK
3rd - Chuck Salmons, Canal Winchester, OH
HM - Barbara Sabol, Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Lynne Elise Benson, Taylorsville, UT; David L. Byrn, Prescott, AZ; Robert V. Davis, Ogden, UT; Betsy Kennedy, Columbus, OH; Crystie Cook, Sandy, UT

4. Crème de la Crème, 60 entries
1st - D. Beecher Smith, II, Memphis, TN
2nd - Lynne Elise Benson, Taylorsville, UT
3rd - Lucile Beck Quinn, Columbus, OH
HM - Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK; Nancy Susanna Breen, Loveland, OH; Darla Dee Burris, Alliance, OH; Barbara Sabol, Cuyahoga Falls, OH; Geoffrey Landis, Berea, OH; Mary O'Dell, Louisville, KY; E. Gail Chandler, Shelbyville, KY; Louise Onyett-Love, Boulder, CO; Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX; David L. Byrn, Prescott, AZ

5. Unexpected Joy, 37 entries
1st - Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX
2nd - Mary O'Dell, Louisville, KY
3rd - Lynn A. Saunders, Elida, OH
HM - Phyllis Lee, Alliance, OH; E. Gail Chandler, Shelbyville, KY; Madelyn Eastlund, Beverly Hills, FL; Annie McWilliams, Columbus, OH; Lisa Brandstetter Holt, Mt. Orab, OH; Beth Staas, La Grange Park, IL; Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY; Nancy L. Marshall, Sugarcreek, OH

6. Small Stuff, 47 entries
1st - Joanne Vandegrift, Alliance, OH
2nd - Roberta Angerman, Wooster, OH
3rd - Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK
HM - Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY; David L. Byrn, Prescott, AZ; Vera Ogden Bakker, West Bountiful, UT; Jon Sebba, Murray, UT; Vera Jones, Weaverville, NC; Dalene Stull, Danville, OH; Virginia Mortensen, Des Moines, IA

7. In Honor of Dylan Thomas, 36 entries
1st - Crystie Cook, Sandy, UT
2nd - Jake Olson, Tiffin, OH
3rd - Maureen Fry, Conover, OH
HM - Catherine Moran, Little Rock, AR; Gene Corman, Fullerton, CA; Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY

8. A Nature Poem, 18 entries
1st - Lee Pelham Cotton, Locust Hill, VA
2nd - Mary O'Dell, Louisville, KY
3rd - Val Esker, Beverly Hills, FL
HM - Russell Strauss, Memphis, TN; Amanda Stovicek, Shaker Heights, OH; Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH; Linda Banks, Mesquite, TX; Annie McWilliams, Columbus, OH; John Bing, Tiffin, OH; Emery L. Campbell, Lawrenceville, GA

9. Just for the Fun of It, 80 entries
1st - Emery L. Campbell, Lawrenceville, GA
2nd - Mary Turzillo, Berea, OH
3rd - Elaine Akin, Louisville, KY
HM - Joyce Shiver, Clear River, FL; Sue Neufarth Howard, Cincinnati, OH; Nancy L. Marshall, Sugarcreek, OH; Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH; Helen Webb, South Point, OH

10. In Memory of My Brother Thomas Bramkamp, 44 entries
1st - Anne Pierre Spangler, Lebanon, PA
2nd - Nancy H. Johanson, Cincinnati, OH
3rd - Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK
HM - Evelyn Corry Appelbee, Henderson, TX; Nancy L. Marshall, Sugarcreek, OH; Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX; Vickie Weaver West Carrollton, OH

11. In Memory of Robert F. Diehm, 83 entries
1st - Deborah A. Walker, Conover, OH
2nd - Mary E. O'Dell, Louisville, KY
3rd - Mary A. Turzillo, Berea, OH
HM - Joy Schwab, Dayton, OH; Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK; Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK

12. Haiku for Betty, 66 entries
1st - Lucile Beck Quinn, Columbus, OH
2nd - Phyllis Lee, Sebring, OH
3rd - Jan Shiver, Crystal River, FL
HM - Becky Alexander, Cambridge, ON; Val Esker, Beverly Hills, FL; Kathy Larson, Salt Lake City, UT

13. In Memory of Steven Lee, 58 entries
1st – John Bing, Tiffin, OH
2nd – Von S. Bourland, Happy, TX
3rd – Lucille Morgan Wilson, Canton, OH
HM – Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY; Lynne Elise Benson, Taylorsville, UT; Jake
Olson, Tiffin, OH; Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK; Virginia Mortenson, Des Moines,
IA; Lucile Beck Quinn, Columbus, OH

14. Literary Personas, 27 entries
1st - Jake Olson, Tiffin, OH
2nd - Von S. Bourland, Happy, TX
3rd - Brenda Miller, Orrville, OH
HM -Vera Ogden Bakker, West Bountiful, UT; Jerri Hardesty, Brierfield, AL; Evelyn Corry Appelbee, Henderson, TX

15. I hate you. . . let's have a drink, 33 entries
1st - Rhonda Baughman, Canton, OH
2nd - Von S. Bourland, Happy, TX
3rd - Lynne Elise Benson, Taylorsville, UT
HM - Annie McWilliams, Columbus, OH; Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK; Brenda Miller, Orrville, OH; Rose Ann Spaith, Columbus, OH; Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH; Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK; Nancy L. Marshall, Sugarcreek, OH; E. Gail Chandler, Shelbyville, KY

16. Let It Flow, 54 entries
1st - Maureen Fry, Conover, OH
2nd - Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK
3rd - Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX
HM - Geoffrey Landis, Berea, OH; Vera Jones, Weaverville, NC

17. Wright Writers of Dayton, 44 entries
1st - Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX
2nd - D. Beecher Smith, II, Memphis, TN
3rd - Jane K. Kretschmann, Piqua, OH
HM - Brenda Miller, Orrville, OH; Beth Staas, La Grange Park, IL; Marilyn Tullys, Canton, OH

18. In Memory of Tessa Sweazy Webb, 38 entries
1st - Amy Jo Schoonover, Mechanicsburg, OH
2nd - Betsy Kennedy, Columbus, OH
3rd - Roberta Angerman, Wooster, OH
HM - Elaine Akin, Louisville, KY; David L. Byrn, Prescott, AZ; Anne Conibear, Reno, NV

19. Louise Dolly Award, 26 entries
1st - Rhonda Baughman, Canton, OH
2nd - Annie McWilliams, Columbus, OH
3rd - Von S. Bourland, Happy, TX
HM - Betsy Kennedy, Columbus, OH; Linda Banks, Mesquite, TX

20. Grace Long Award, 76 entries
1st - Linda R. Frisa, Cincinnati, OH
2nd - Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH
3rd - Larry Michaels, Fremont, OH
HM - J. Paul Holcomb, Double Oak, TX; Dalene Stull, Danville, OH

21. Thomas Finley Award, 64 entries
1st - Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX
2nd - Lee Pelham Cotton, Locust Hill, VA
3rd - Dalene Stull, Danville, OH
HM - Lucille Morgan Wilson, Des Moines, IA; Gloria Alden, Southington, OH

22. Through the Window, 27 entries
1st - Diane Kendig, Canton, OH
2nd - Russell H. Strauss, Memphis, TN
3rd - Nancy H. Johanson, Cincinnati, OH
HM - Carol Louise Moon, Sacramento, CA; D. Beecher Smith, II, Memphis, TN; Louise Onyett-Love, Boulder, CO; Mary O'Dell, Louisville, KY; Alison Chisholm, Southport, UK; Brenda Miller, Orrville, OH; Betsy M. Hughes, Dayton, OH; Catherine Moran, Little Rock, AR; Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY; Lynne, Elise Benson, Taylorsville, UT

23. Great Expectations, 52 entries
1st - Lucille Morgan Wilson, Des Moines, IA
2nd - Brenda Miller, Orrville, OH
3rd - Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY
HM -Von S. Bourland, Happy, TX; Jean Terry, Dallas, GA; Russell H. Strauss,
Memphis, TN

24. Broken, 71 entries
1st - Brenda Miller, Orrville, OH
2nd - David L. Byrn, Prescott, AZ
3rd - Maureen Fry, Conover, OH
HM - Betsy Humphreys, Granite Falls, NC; Rose Ann Spaith, Columbus, OH; Jane K.
Kretschmann, Piqua, OH; Amanda Stovicek, Shaker Heights, OH; John McBride,
Bettendorf, IA

25. New Ballad Award, 31 entries
1st - Jeani M. Picklesimer, Ashland, KY
2nd - Darla Dee Burris, Alliance, OH
3rd - Geoffrey A. Landis, Berea, OH
HM - David George, ___, OH; David L. Byrn, Prescott, AZ; Evelyn Corry Appelbee, Henderson, TX; John Bing, Tiffin, OH; Beverly Stanislawski, Crown Point, IN; Mary A. Turzillo, Berea, OH; Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK; Barbara Blanks, Garland, TX; Dalene Stull, Danville, OH; Jerri Hardesty, Brierfield, AL

26. Advice, 62 entries
1st - Catherine Moran, Little Rock, AR
2nd - Becky Alexander, Cambridge, ON
3rd - Betsy Humphreys, Granite Falls, NC
HM -E. Gail Chandler, Shelbyville, KY; Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK; Mary O'Dell,
Louisville, KY

27. Family Ties, 76 entries
1st - Margaret Gleave, Southport, UK
2nd - Mary O'Dell, Louisville, KY
3rd - Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH
HM - Deborah Walker, Conover, OH; Lisa Brandstetter Holt, Mt. Orab, OH; Betsy Kennedy, Columbus, OH; Vera Ogden Bakker, West Bountiful, UT; Susan Iwinski, Kettering, OH; Nancy K. Jentsch, Melbourne, KY; Diane Kendig, Canton, OH; Catherine Moran, Little Rock, AR; Russell H. Strauss, Memphis, TN; Jake Olson, Tiffin, OH

28. Welcome Aboard, 15 entries
Co-1st - Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH
Co-1st - Nancy Barnes, Youngstown, OH
HM - J. W. Mark, Stow, OH; Janeal Turnbull Ravndal, Evanston, IL

29. Heidi Knecht Memorial, 31 entries
1st - Nancy H. Johanson, Cincinnati, OH
2nd - Carol McFall, Alliance, OH
3rd - Barbara Sabol, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
HM - Marilyn Tullys, Canton, OH; Nancy Susanna Breen, Loveland, OH; Kerry Trautman, Findlay, OH; Larry Michaels, Fremont, OH; Vera Jones, Weaverville, NC; Gene Corman, Fullerton, CA; Gloria Alden, Southington, OH; Betsy Kennedy, Columbus, OH; Amy Jo Schoonover, Mechanicsburg, OH; Susan Iwinski, Kettering, OH

30. Evan Lodge Workshop Awards, 31 entries
Alphabetically arranged - ten equal awards
Rhonda Baughman, Canton, OH
John Bing, Tiffin, OH
Patricia L. H. Black, Athens, OH
Val Esker, Beverly Hills, FL - Ohio native
Michelle Klosterman, Williamsburg, OH
Phyllis Lee, Sebring, OH
Jake Olson, Tiffin, OH
Joanne Vandegrift, Alliance, OH
Jim Villani, Youngstown, OH - two awards

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