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Don’t buy lottery tickets. Enter contests instead.

Spring ushered in a bevy of competitions. Contests for kids and adults with monetary rewards, trophies or ribbons.

Some competitions benefit charity, but they all stroke winners’ egos.
The 2010 Human Race, beginning at Grimsley High School on March 20, provided much needed help to many Greensboro charities.

Once a year, participants sign up to support “their favorite nonprofits by running, walking or rolling in a 5K race.”

Prior to the event, the Grimsley band entertained with lively music, and Mayor Bill Knight thanked participants and donors.
A sense of camaraderie prevailed. Young people, including both Boy and Girl Scouts, gathered along the route offering encouragement and water.

Many freebies, including massages and a variety of food, awaited racers once they crossed the finish line.

But the thrill of completing the race to help a worthwhile cause remained the primary reward.

Another popular spring contest is the Greater Greensboro Senior Games and Silverarts sponsored by the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department.

Silverarts includes numerous artistic opportunities for those 55 and older.

Work may be submitted annually in eight visual arts divisions, 16 heritage arts divisions, and four literary arts divisions.

A blue ribbon is also awarded to the person or group winning the performance art division.

First-place winners in all categories are invited to enter the state competition, and winners at the state level may enter the national competition.

On March 28, a variety of Silverarts entries, including quilting, painting, photography and woodwork, were displayed at the Greensboro Cultural Center. Those in the Silverarts Performance category entertained.

The opening celebration for the Senior Games April 7 featured the lighting of a torch. Competitions include bowling, track, bocce, golf, tennis, shuffleboard, croquet and swimming and continue until April 30.

To honor participants, an awards banquet will be held May 5 at Smith Center.

Though it’s too late to enter the 2010 Human Race or the local Senior Games and Silverarts competitions, there’s still time to enter other local contests.

The deadline for submissions to the upcoming Seventh Biennial Greensboro Awards Contest, sponsored by the Writers’ Group of the Triad, is April 30.

Prizes of $250, $150, and $100 will be given in two categories: poetry (send five; maximum length, 100 lines per poem) and short fiction (4,000 maximum word count).

The entry fee is $15 for the first submission in either category; $5 for each additional submission. For additional information, visit www.triadwriters.org for guidelines or e-mail WGOT2010@triad.rr.com.

At a WGOT contest workshop held March 14 at Sternberger Artists Center, contest chairman Don Gaston encouraged those present to enter the competition.

After going over contest guidelines, he announced the final judges would be Janice Moore Fuller for poetry, and Alice J. Wisler for short fiction.

Laine Cunningham, featured speaker at the workshop, provided advice on entering and winning contests.
Her tips included researching the contest sponsor and understand the judging process.

She also stressed the necessity of following every rule listed in contest guidelines. Cunningham, a Hillsborough author and editor, has won and judged several prestigious competitions.

Contact Sandra Redding at sanredd@earthlink.net