The final total of funds raised for adult literacy by the 2017 Muskoka Novel Marathon is $33,264—not the record-smasher that has become almost traditional for the Marathon, but still a respectable sum.
“Considering the Marathon almost didn’t happen at all this year due to staffing issues, we think we did pretty well,” says convenor Karen Wehrstein, speaking at the event’s wrap-up party, which happened on September 23 in the Community Room of Bullock’s Your Independent Grocer. “This event has a fantastic energy and enthusiasm, especially from the writers, and that hasn’t changed a bit. The thing to remember is that this amount of money was raised by only 40 people.”
The Marathon awards were presented at the event as well. Michael Codato of Gravenhurst won Best Novel honours in the Adult category and Pat Flewwelling of Oshawa won Best Novel in the Young Adult/Juvenile category. Flewwelling also won her sixth Most Prolific Award, producing 60,647 words in the 72 hours that the Marathon ran, while Codato won the peer-voted “Bum-in-Chair” Award for obvious dedication. Both Best Novel winners will have their manuscripts submitted to a Canadian agent or editor for consideration and feedback.
Lenore Butcher of Woodstock, Ontario received the Remington Award for raising the most funds: $3,200. Fianna McKnight of Toronto—the youngest person ever to participate in the Marathon, at age 12—was voted Rookie of the Year, while her father Colum McKnight won the Spirit Award, given to the writer who best embodies the spirit of the Marathon. The Techie Award, given to the writer who is most helpful to fellow writers with technical problems during the Marathon, was won by Krystyne Taylor-Smith of St. Catharines.
“The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka’s partnership with the Muskoka Novel Marathon is invaluable and plays a large role in enabling us to ‘open our doors’ to our community to ensure that everyone has access to our literacy programs and services in Huntsville and the surrounding areas,” says Susan Kulkarni, Manager, Legacy/Corporate Fund Development.
YMCA Community Literacy Programs provide much-needed skills such as academic upgrading, literacy, computer and English as a Second Language training, helping everyone learn, grow and thrive. We owe a big thank you to our community and the Muskoka Novel Marathon for supporting us and allowing us to continue to invest in the health and well being of our community.
Susan Kulkarni, Manager, Legacy/Corporate Fund Development, ymca of simcoe/muskoka
Speaking on behalf of the Muskoka Novel Marathon organizing committee, Wehrstein said, “I’d like to congratulate the winners on their excellent work. I’d also like to thank all the writers for their work, fundraising and spirit, as well as our judges, our volunteers, our sponsors and our other partners. The inspiration, camaraderie and creative output that happens in this event, not to mention the fundraising, is incredible.”
The 2017 Muskoka Novel Marathon took place July 14-17 at the Active Living Centre in the Canada Summit Centre in Huntsville. Next year’s Marathon will take place in the same venue on July 13-16, 2018.
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Karen and team, your marathon programme is amazing and enables wonderful work. Bravo!