Blog: Dynamite Dad Contest Ends in One Week

We're looking for students to tell us about their "Dynamite Dads" in the 3rd Annual Dynamite Dad Contest sponsored by the Marriage Resource Center of Carroll County (MRC)

Students in grades 1 - 12 who live in Carroll County or a bordering community are eligible to participate. Entries must finish the following sentence:  "My Dad is awesome because. . . . " in 100 words or less, and mail or deliver it by May 21 to The Marriage Resource Center, 255 Clifton Blvd. Ste. 213, Westminster, MD, 21157. 

Winners will be notified the first week of June and invited to a special Dynamite Dad Award Ceremony to be held June 12, 6:30p.m., in TownMall, Westminster, between Boscov’s and Belk. The general public is also invited to attend.

Students are urged to be creative! Entries can be written as a poem, acrostic, song  lyrics or in an essay format, etc.  All entries will be judged by a panel of five community leaders and prizes will be awarded to the top elementary, middle and high school entrants. 

Winners will read their entry to their Dad as a part of the awards ceremony. They will also receive a father/child portrait courtesy of Fine Portraiture by Michele in Taneytown, as well as a special gift bag to present to their fathers. Each presentation will be recorded and posted on MRC’s YouTube page. 

“This contest provides kids with a unique opportunity to express the special love they have for their fathers,” according to Bill McKenna, Co-Director of MRC.  “This is the third year we have offered the contest and we are always amazed at the deep emotion and creativity students  demonstrate  as they describe their relationships with their fathers.  These kids are deeply committed to their fathers even if they are not the custodial parent.”

The Dynamite Dad Contest was started in 2010 to raise awareness of the impact of fathers on child well-being.  Research continues to show that the presence of a loving, nurturing father improves outcomes for children, families, and communities.  On the contrary, father absence contributes to increased risk for suicide, teen pregnancy, drug and alcohol addiction, lower educational achievement and crime. **

An official Dynamite Dad flier that includes contest guidelines can be downloaded at www.marriageresourceccc.org. For more information about the contest or to schedule an interview please contact Amy Gilford, Dynamite Dad Contest Coordinator, at 410-386-9003 or email her at amy@marriageresourceccc.org.

**http://thefatherlessgeneration.wordpress.com/;  http://www.fatherhood.org/;  http://fathers.com/