Lesley Strutt Poetry Prize and Bench ~ Update

MAG is pleased to provide an update on our efforts to create the Lesley Strutt Poetry Prize. We have raised $9,355 to date and will now transfer these funds to the League of Canadian Poets who were very enthusiastic and supportive of the idea of creating a prize in Lesley’s name. Those who donated will be receiving a tax receipt. The League developed a process and path forward for an annual poetry competition which will be national in scope and may be able to leverage additional funding from across the country. We are confident that the funding will enable the Lesley Strutt Poetry Prize to flourish for decades to come and will support the wonderful efforts of Canadian poets. The League has created an on-line site that has a donation page and describes upcoming initiatives planned to honour Lesley. Please see: I’m also very pleased to inform you that we received approval for the installation of a Poet’s Bench in Cenotaph Park in honour of Lesley. This was a real community effort and we would like to thank the Merrickville-Wolford Council for their decision. The antique cast iron sides were donated by Merrickville Antiques and were refurbished by Chuck Willemsen; strong oak slats were cut and donated by Bram D’Hoest and Yves Grandmaitre applied the protective wood coating and assembled the bench; Jonah Robinson installed the cement and brick pad and reseeded the area; Brad Cole from the Public Works Department worked closely with us to ensure a smooth installation. The bench now rests in the shade of beautiful trees in a quiet corner of the Park – we encourage you to try it out. Many thanks to all who made this beautiful Poet’s Bench come to life !