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As we approach the season of giving, the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help the family of the late DC Stanfa fully endow a new award designed to help writers with financial need attend the popular biennial workshop.

With initial gifts from DC's husband, Tom Schonecker, and daughter, Cori Hedrick, the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers’ Award fund will provide financial support for EBWW attendees, especially underrepresented or diverse writers. Two awards, which cover the registration fee, travel and hotel, will be available for the March 24-26, 2022, workshop.

An anonymous donor has promised to match every dollar raised, up to $5,000, between now and #GivingTuesday on Nov. 30. Another generous writer, who wishes to remain anonymous, is matching all gifts up to $1,000. To make a gift, click here.

“Our stretch goal is $10,000, and I’m confident that the Erma Nation will respond generously. This is one of the most supportive, selfless writing communities in the country,” said Teri Rizvi, director of the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop.

The award honors DC Stanfa, an author, humorist and longtime attendee, who died unexpectedly in January. After the fund was launched in June, family, friends and writers have stepped forward with generous gifts.

We’re asking all who’ve made gifts to this fund this year — whether through the crowdfunding campaign, a check or an online gift — to create and post an #UNSelfie on #GivingTuesday.

Here are step-by-step instructions for creating your UNselfie:

Download blank #UNselfie. Share how you are giving back or why you give on the UNselfie sign.

Hold up the #UNselfie sign and take your selfless selfie with your smartphone.

You can make it easy on yourself and download one of these Erma #UNselfie signs to use at your photo shoot: I Give Because… or Support the Dreams of Writers.

Or go wild, forget the templates and create your own masterpiece of Erma love.

When you share your #UNselfie or graphic on social media on Dec. 1, please encourage other writers to give. Use these hashtags: #YouCanWrite, #ErmaChampions and #GivingTuesday.

We plan to compile a Facebook album, so please send your #UNselfie to erma@udayton.edu. Take a look at our Facebook albums of Erma champions in 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

Click here to see current matching gift efforts, challenges, donors and advocates for our crowdfunding campaign. Who's stepping up? Writers on both coasts, Erma's home state of Ohio and a number of other states. Help us fill out the map with your participation by Nov. 30.

"DC would consider contributions to this new award to be not just a fabulous honor and tribute, but also an incredible reflection of caring and encouragement for others," said Sherry Stanfa-Stanley, her sister and fellow writer.