Honoring Kent Haruf

Buena Vista High School senior, Berlin VanNess received the $500 second annual Kent Haruf Memorial Writing Scholarship at an awards banquet Sunday, May 7, 2017. VanNess wrote “Running With the Wind,” a creative nonfiction piece. She plans to attend the university of Colorado-Colorado Springs, majoring in biology and pre-med, and to continue writing poetry.

Michael White, a Canon City High School junior, received a $100 honorable mention scholarship and a certificate. White wrote “Banjo and Freedom: Do Your Part,” a fiction piece.

Jennifer Dempsey, daughter of Cathy Haruf, presented the awards on behalf of her mom, who was recuperating from hip surgery.  In presenting the awards, Dempsey said, “Kent’s advice to writers was to read everything, write every day and write what you know.  Everyone is an expert at their own experience.”