Christmas Wishes
Rachel BarkleyAge: 11Uhrichsville, OH
Mary sighed. All she had ever wanted for Christmas previous years had been a horse. But now she had pushed wanting...
The Christmas gift
By Abbey Benninghoff
Bessemer, Pa.
Age 17
Honorable mention
Up at dawn, doing chores at six years of age may sound crazy, but for Grace, she thrived...
2009 Adult writing contest and youth art winners
The holidays have a special meaning to all of us. It could be the sights and sounds of the children sled riding down the...
A question of faith
By Chet Cornman
Freeport, Pa.
Third place
The floorboard creaked and Amy froze. Someone was out there all right. Carefully, oh so carefully, she extended her neck...
Of Christmas chores and country kindness
By Jennifer Bryan
Paris, Ohio
Honorable Mention
The frosty morning air stung my nose as I stepped out the door of our farmhouse. My parents’ boot prints...
Merry mischief
By Sharon Sweda
Huron, Ohio
Honorable Mention
“Doggone it!”
Janet hears Henry’s familiar bellow. She knows, without looking or hearing the stomp of his boots, that in an...
The gift of remembrance
Winner: Alejandro Villalva, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army Reserve, 42, San Antonio, TX
Richard sat silently, transfixed, his entire attention riveted to the photo that...
A Cat’s Christmas Dream
Athena Pantelides, 10 yrs.
Louisville, Ohio
Snowla the cat was watching the snow fall outside of her house. Snowla’s owner spoiled her. You see...
Uncle Leonard
Third place: Maryann Lepovsky, 65, of Lucinda, Pa.
All the lights were out in town except for the bright orange Rexall sign on the corner...
The Win-win
Honorable mention: Sharon Sweda, Huron, Ohio
Jacob slumped as Katherine cleared the table around him. Sensing he'd skip choir rehearsal, she chose to pray, rather...
