PEA RIDGE — The Pea Ridge post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is offering two 177-year-old half-cent coins in addition to monetary prizes for winners of two essay contests.
The local VFW solicits essays for the VFW national essay contests, but has not seen much response in years past.
Last year, the Pea Ridge VFW Post received only one essay. There have been years in which there were no entries.
Members of the local post, in order to encourage participation, is offering an 1834 half-cent coin for the first-place winner in each contest.
The coin, minted at the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, Penn., is a real U.S. coins.
Students from Pea Ridge schools or home schools may enter.
There will be monetary prizes awarded to second and third place winners.
The contests are:
◊Patriot’s Pen - an essay contest for 6th- to 8thgrade students.
◊Voice of Democracy - an essay contest for 9thto 12th-grade students.
All competitors of each of these essay competitions must meet the deadline date for essay submissions of midnight, Nov.1, 2011.
The plan is, if the Pea Ridge VFW post has a first-, second- and thirdplace winners for the Patriot’s Pen competition, the awards for the winners of this essay will be made
by the VFW Post 8109, Women’s Auxiliary. The winners of the essay, Voice of Democracy will be awarded by the men of VFW Post 8109.
The VFW Post plans to make the awards of the winners of each conteston Veterans Day, Nov. 11, at the Pea Ridge High School yearly veterans program.
VFW CONTESTSPatriot’s Pen
This year’s theme for the Patriot’s Pen is, “Are you proud of your country?” This is a youth essay competition, giving students the opportunity to express their views on democracy, with the prospect of winning U.S. Savings bonds.
The top 46 national winners will receive at least a $1,000 savings bond.
The first place award is currently a $10,000 savings bond plus an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the winner and a parent. The completed essay and entry for must be in the hands of the VFW Post chairman by midnight,Nov. 1, 2011.
Voice of Democracy
The theme for this year’s Voice of Democracy Program is, “Is there pride in serving in our military?” This is open to students grades 9-12. Students compete by writing and recording a broadcast script.
Prizes and scholarships are awarded at the local, district, state and national level. Deadline for entries is midnight, Nov. 1, 2011.
For information, and full description of either contest, call post commander Howard Schuettpelz, VFW Post 8109, Pea Ridge, at 619-8799.
School, Pages 12 on 08/17/2011