GFWC Member Writing Contests
Objective: Encourage members and youth to develop creative writing skills and to recognize their achievements
Kathy Palermo of Lee's Summit was so excited after attending the 2007 GFWC International Convention in Philadelphia that she decided to write this poem about GFWC entitled "There Was a Time." She and her husband Vince combined the convention with a two-week driving vacation, so she wrote this poem in the van on the ay home. During 2008/2010, Kathy will be Honorary Assistant to GFWC International President Rose Ditto, GFWC of Missouri Bylaws Committee Member, Second District First Vice President, President of the GFWC Nu Era Study Club, and Vice President of the GFWC Beverly Shelton Girls Town Club.
“THERE WAS A TIME”
By Kathy Palermo
There was a time when I was five
And I was free to run barefooted through wheat fields,
Feeling so vibrant and alive.
There was a time when I was six,
And I was free to play all day,
Cuddling baby kittens, baby bunnies, baby chicks.
There was a time when I was seven,
And I was free to make Judean houses in Bible School,
Learning all about heaven.
There was a time when I was eight,
And I was free to take my cane pole, can of worms,
Fishing in our pond ‘til late.
Yes, there was a time.
There was a time when I was fifty-five,
And newly-retired, I was free to visit Kauai waterfalls,
Feeling so vibrant and alive.
There was a time when I was fifty-six,
And I was free to devote more time to GFWC,
Working with others on problems we could fix.
There was a time when I was fifty-seven,
And I was free to do more for Missouri Girls Town,
Helping give the girls a little bit of heaven.
There was a time when I was fifty-eight,
And I was free to make the world a better place,
Making every minute count before it’s too late.
Yes, there was a time.
GFWC Member Writing Contests
GFWC OF MISSOURI CREATIVE ARTS CHAIRMAN: JANE SMITH
Youth Short Story Writing Contest:
*Short stories are limited to 2,000 words.
*Youth authors may enter one short story for club contests.
*Entries must be typed, double-spaced, printed on one side only, with minimum margins for 1 inch on all four sides, on 8 ½ inch x 11 inch paper.
*Entries must be written during the contest year.
*Entries must have the following in the top right hand corner of each page:
author’s name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number,
name of local club and state, category, and title of manuscript
*Manuscripts will not be returned. Authors should keep a copy.
*Authors must be amateurs; earning from writing may not exceed $500 annually.
*Manuscripts may not have been published prior to the competition.
*Manuscripts must be original work by the author.
*Categories:
Category 1: Grades 1, 2, and 3
Category 2: Grades 4, 5, and 6
Category 3: Grades 7, 8, and 9
Category 4: Grades 10, 11, and 12
*By submitting their short story to GFWC, authors are providing GFWC with a royalty-free perpetual license to use, reproduce, post, display, create derivative works, sell, license, or
sub-license the work in any media now known or later invented without limitation, for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
Youth Poetry Writing Contest:
*All above rules apply
*Entries of poems can be any style, with a minimum length of 8 lines & a maximum length
of 50 lines.
*Youth poets may enter one poem for club contests on the local level.
GFWC Member Short Story Writing Contest:
*All above rules apply except: Authors must be dues-paying members of active GFWC clubs.
No grade categories apply
GFWC Member Poetry Writing Contest:
*All above rules apply except: Authors must be dues-paying members of active GFWC clubs
No grade categories apply