This contest came about as a project of love and tribute to my friend Julia Stewart. She was a big part of my life, and I wanted to create a lasting memorial of her life and contribution to her community.
Julia was the kind of friend who truly cared about others. She listened, she saw the good in all of us, and she wanted to help us achieve it.
One of the things we bonded over was books and stories. She convinced me to join the first ever WordFeast board, where I met Nancy Bauer. She convinced me to join the Friends of the Library Board. I’m an introvert, and she was always trying to get me to participate in community events.
I am grateful that Julia was my friend, and that she is encouraging me even now to take on endeavours like this.
My goal is to have this contest continue for a long time. I have committed to it for the next five years, and I’d be happy to continue organizing it for even longer, but I know that there are others out there who might want to get involved. My wish is that it continues to grow so we can celebrate emerging writers for years to come.
My husband, Louie Youssef, has always wanted to sponsor a
writing contest, and he has committed to fund this one for three years. This is
wonderful, because it allows us to donate all of the entry fees to charities
that are close to Julia’s heart. This year we are donating $560 in entry fees,
along with a donation from the sponsor of $1000, to MS Canada, a cause for
which Julia was a constant supporter.
The contest is inspired by Julia, but the purpose is to encourage writers. Twenty-eight unpublished writers sent us their stories this year. It was an honour to read these stories, and each was worthy in its own way. Each writer had his or her own style and voice. Thank you for trusting us with your stories.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed and supported us in
our inaugural year. See you in 2026!
