Tributes being accepted now... will be published in May and June editions
By Jim Palmer
On May 12, we will celebrate moms on Mother’s Day. On June 16, we will celebrate dads on Father’s Day. These days are a great time to recognize some of the most important people in our lives. Whether you had a good relationship with your parents or not, these people shaped you and likely had a significant impact your life.
This year, I thought it would be nice to give you, the readers, an opportunity to tell everyone what made your mom or dad so special through a tribute in Senior Perspective.
Over the next couple of months, I will be taking your submissions. I plan to print the tributes to moms in the May edition and the tributes to dads in the June edition (space permitting).
I do have some requests for this writing “assignment.” Instead of just writing about your mother or father in general terms... like “He was great” or “She was a nice person,” I would like you to focus on one special moment/activity that you spent with your mom or dad at some point in your life. It could be when you were five years old, or it could be when you were 55. Maybe it was something from your childhood like reading books together or going to the zoo, or maybe you went to craft fairs or fished together or baked together, or maybe it was a conversation you had days before one of your parents passed away. Whatever it is, focus on that one thing and include as many details as you can. These do not need to be long... in fact they shouldn’t be (so I can get them all printed). In other words, get right to the good stuff!
Here is what I’m looking for... (feel free to answer just a few or all of these questions):
• What was that special moment/day/time that you had with your mom or dad (as a child or adult)?
• How did he/she make you feel during these moments?
• What details do you remember about this time (include details that cover all the senses -- sight/smell/taste/etc.)
• How did this special time together affect you and how you lived your life? (Was it a teaching moment?)
• Whether your mom and dad are living or have passed, what would you want to tell him/her today?
If you would like to submit a tribute to your mom or dad...
• Please limit these tributes to 150 words. All submissions over 150 words will be edited down so we they can fit.
• Do you have a photo of you and your mom or dad? Please send that as well! Photos always add more to a tribute.
• Send your tribute (and photo) on your mom to me by April 10 so they can be included in the May edition.
• Send your tribute (and photo) on your dad to me by May 10 so they can be included in the June edition.
• Stories and photos can be emailed to me at jim@palmercreations.net (preferred) or mail to Senior Perspective, Mom/Dad Tributes, P.O. Box 1, Glenwood, MN 56334.
I look forward to reading your submissions!
Drawing winners
Each year, we give out prizes to our contributors. If you have submitted a recipe, poem, photo or joke in the last 12 months, you were automatically entered into a drawing for a cash prize, cookbooks and subscriptions. There were hundreds of entries in this year’s drawing. Prior to printing this edition we picked the winners. They are listed in the shaded box below. Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks for all your submissions over the last year. We will do the same for next year, so entries for next year’s drawing are starting right now.
Everyone who has submitted a poem, recipe, joke or photo in the last year was entered into a drawing. We reward those who contribute in the paper each year by entering them into this drawing. Then we give away a cash prize and some other prizes. This year’s winner are:
$150 — Brenda Boline of Watkins
Submitted recipe, “Chocolate Banana Bread,”
in the August 2023 River Edition
One Year Subscription — Benita Quast of Glencoe
Submitted recipe, “Apple Pie Bread” in June 2023
River Edition
One Year Subscription — Jeff Stave of Brainerd
Submitted photo of snow crystals shining in the sun,
published in the November 2023 edition (all editions)
Vol. 21 Cookbook — Deborah (Skrove) Holicky
of Dalton
Submitted poem “Farming with Daddy” in August 2023 Runestone Edition
Vol. 21 Cookbook — Peter Pasion of West Fargo, ND
Submitted poem, “Little Pink Girl,” in the February 2024
Valley Edition