Whether with a Blackberry® or a quill there are some who just have a need to write, and a lot of people are better off because of that compulsion.
The Sooke Scribblers exist for the purpose of promoting the written word, doing what they can to preserve the local creation of fictional prose and poetry. For the past five years they’ve been soliciting material from Edward Milne Community School students, looking for writers with talent and potential they can reward and encourage.
Five students from Lilliane Zanardo’s English class were acknowledged in a lunchtime event on May 26.
Peter Lee of the Sooke Scribblers had cheques to present to the five who had submitted their work for appraisal and been deemed worthy.
One $50 cheque was set aside for poetry, along with first and second prizes ($50 and $25, respectively) for junior and senior fiction prose categories.
Coming up with the financial kudos were: poetry – Meghan McKenzie (not present); junior first – Aida Au, and second – Angel Fitzner.
On the senior side it was Emily Percival-Patterson copping the $50 prize, with second going to Jessica Barnard.
“I was very shocked and happy to win,” said Aida (pronounced Ayda) Au. “I’m mostly an artist. This is my first year of writing for the love of it.”
Angel Fitzner has a way of churning out the product and pushing it aside. She said she may come across it later by accident and decide she likes it.
Emily Percival-Patterson said this is her third year in the contest. She feels it’s a good thing to get involved in, especially for someone who may not be taking an English class.
“They can keep their hand in it,” she said, “and with a deal like this their talent can be recognized and rewarded.”
Zanardo and Lee were both pleased to note the high number of entries in this year’s contest, particularly in the poetry category.