From left, Karen Magley and Pat Kuehnel, of Great Falls, Linda Maguire, of Vienna, Barbara Gwizdz, Anne McVey, of Great Falls and Jackie Culhane, of Potomac Falls, attend the Great Falls Friends and Neighbors’ Poetry Luncheon at River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls on Wednesday, April 29. Photo by Abigail Constantino/The Connection
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Great Falls Friends and Neighbors’ Poetry Luncheon
Ladies’ club awards poetry winners, throws luncheon.
Click Photo for FlashThe Great Falls Friends and Neighbors (GFFN) threw its 33rd Annual Poetry Luncheon at the River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls on Wednesday, April 29, culminating National Poetry Month.
The event recognized children’s efforts in poetry writing. “Children have different talents. [Poetry] is the talent we chose,” said organizer Pat Kuehnel.
First- to third-place winners, out of 208 entries, in grades four to six at Great Falls Elementary School received certificates and read their poems in front of families, teachers and the women of GFFN.
First-place winner fourth grader Ayala Albert read her poem “You,” which was inspired by her experience learning about bullying. “Telling someone they are stupid doesn’t make you smarter / Saying someone is ugly doesn’t make you prettier,” Albert read to rousing applause.
A sense of place was the inspiration for sixth grade first-place winner, Colleen Sherry and third-place winner, Andreas Voyages. Sherry wrote about the evening sky in Deep Creek Lake, while Voyages waxed lyrical about the Greek Isles.
Principal Roy Lonnett thanked GFFN for supporting the opportunity to be creative, saying that the contest is a way for students to “lift the rules and be free to express themselves.”
Judges for the poetry contest were Lucy Juncal, Pat Kuehnel, Mary Ann Nocerino, Raylynn Oliver and Mary Stout.
GFFN is a women's club that brings residents of Great Falls together for fun, friendship and culture and gives back to the local community. For more information about the club, visit http://www.gffnva.org/.
And the Winners Are
*Fourth Grade
Ayala Albert, “You,” First Place
Ashley Gibb, “White,” Second Place
Josh Gast, “Sins,” Third Place
*Fifth Grade
Alexa Gianoplus, “The Storm,” First Place
Tehya Hale, “I Have No Escape,” Second Place
Elizabeth Rothenberger, “My Imagination,” Third Place
*Sixth Grade
Colleen Sherry, “Evening Sky,” First Place
Brian Potteiger, “The Unknown,” Second Place
Andreas Voyages, “Oh, How I’d Love to be in Greece,” Third Place