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The two 2024 recipients of the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award shared powerful personal stories in their applications — and hope participation in the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop will guide them on their writing journey.

Laura Mosely, of Madison, Indiana, is a single mother who “survived over 23 years of domestic abuse” before going through bankruptcy and starting over.

“During active abuse, I was NOT allowed to write,” she wrote. “When we met, I was a journalism major. I. LOVE. TO. WRITE! Now, I can whenever I wish, but I’m using these efforts to help others. I am always striving to be better, personally and professionally. I want to help people on a large scale.”

A customer service representative for the Social Security Administration, she uses her spare time to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse on her blog, a mixture of personal reflections and resources. “I think this workshop can only hone my skills and introduce me to new writing avenues in my mission to help stop domestic violence,” she said.

Elizabeth Baldwin, a recently divorced stay-at-home mother in Surrey, England, finds herself at a crossroads as she moves back to her Virginia roots and rebuilds her life with her three children.

“Returning to the United States after more than a decade abroad, I have the opportunity to craft my ideal life. And that is daunting,” she wrote. “To attend the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop would be transformative at a time when I could personally really use the lift and inspiration.”

In 2022, Baldwin won an honorable mention for her poignant essay, “Love Expands,” in the global human interest category of the Erma Bombeck Writing Competition. “Like Erma’s teacher, the confidence from that acknowledgement that I can write has been life changing. It propelled me toward a fulfilling job as a copywriter. It gives me the chutzpah to think I could write a book that just might help someone else out there,” she wrote. “One nod of encouragement can make all the difference.”

The award is named after DC Stanfa, a writer, humorist and long-time attendee who died unexpectedly in January 2021. The fund was started with generous gifts from her husband, Tom Schonecker, and daughter, Cori Hedrick, and bolstered by additional private support from family, friends and workshop attendees. The award supports writers with financial need who bring a strong, compelling voice to their craft.

"It was a very difficult decision to choose just two recipients. The reviewers were impressed by the overall quality of the applications — and the desire of these writers to nurture their writing lives,” said Teri Rizvi, founder and director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. "We're so grateful for the generous support of DC's family, friends and the Erma writing community who made these awards possible. This is such a tight-knit community where writers can find encouragement and support, no matter where they are on their writing journey."

The Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, slated for April 4-6 at the University of Dayton, Bombeck's alma mater, is sold out.

To help grow the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award fund, online gifts can be made here: https://givenow.udayton.edu (for Designation select "Other" and type DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award in the text box that appears).