Penn's Store Poetry Contest Benefit

As many of you know, there were devastating floods throughout Kentucky and Tennessee last year. One place held dear to many of us in the Elizabeth Madox Roberts Society, Historic Penn's Store (http://www.pennsstore.com), was barely left standing by the floods. Penn's Store is America's oldest country store operated by the same family (relatives of Robert Penn Warren) since before the Civil War. It has been a legendary site for poetry readings and picking and singing gatherings for years.

There will be a poetry reading benefit for Penn's Store in November, and the proceeds will go directly to the Penn's Store benefit fund for restoration so that the store may open again. Anyone is welcome to participate in the poetry reading, but since it will occur in New York and some of you may be far abroad, you are invited to submit your One-Page poem to the contest before November 1st.

You may choose either to: a) send a poem (max. one-page, somehow related to the old-country-store-theme) with $5 donation and your poem will be read at
the event; b) send a poem with $10 donation and "contest entry form" (attached to this email) and your poem will be eligible for publication in the ensuing chapbook
plus awards; c) or just send a donation.

The Reading: CABALOOSA (Main St. New Paltz)

Wednesday November 17 (7 PM)

All readers are welcome who sign up in advance

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Details: 1) Chapbook of poems selected from this reading will be published; 2) Contest ($10 entry fee in advance) with prizes in various categories for the best poems on the theme: The Old Country Store

Contact by November 1^st: H. R. Stoneback (stonebah@newpaltz.edu) and Amanda Boyle (amandalyn1028@gmail.com) in the English Department at SUNY-New Paltz (257-2720).

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All proceeds from this Benefit Reading will go directly to the fund to save Penn’s Store. For information on Penn’s Store see www.pennsstore.com.

Contest Entry Form

Send this form with a one-page poem and $10 entry fee (check or cash) before November 1^st to: H. R. Stoneback, Department of English, SUNY-New Paltz, New Paltz, NY 12561.

Name: ___________________________________

Contact Information:____________________________________________________________________________

Title of Poem: (do not put your name on the manuscript page with the poem)__________________________________

Check One: I am an undergraduate____graduate___

student at _____________________Other________

_________________________________