And the Prize Goes To …

As February winds down, it’s still possible to see the occasional remnant of the holidays hanging around. A porch here and there still lit up by a strand of lights, a wreath on a door or fence (OK, maybe that’s just my house) and a woodworking magazine’s lagging announcement of a winner of a contest launched in December.

In December, I announced a contest seeking contributions to our “End Grain” column – short articles that reflect on any aspect of woodworking. We received almost 100 entries,  but after much thought and debate, we have a winner: Shawn Nichols of Bay Village, Ohio!

It was a difficult task selecting the End Grain contest winner from the myriad entries, but Shawn’s tale of family, memory, wood, the past and the future won him a copy of the 4-volume set of “The Practical Woodworker.” (Not to mention the pay he receives for the purchase of his column —which you will read in an upcoming issue.)

My apologies to everyone who waited for the the winner to be announced — judging the contest made for some tough choices, but it was also a pleasure to read so many accounts of how woodworking has affected so many lives. Not just the woodworkers, mind you, but family members, friends and even strangers.

If every picture tells a story, then so does every piece of wood, and it’ll be a pleasure sharing more of these stories in months ahead. (That’s right, I said stories — a few entries by runners-up are also being purchased for the magazine. These include Derek Olson, Kenneth Royal and Joe DiPietro. )

Still interested in contributing to Popular Woodworking? You can find our writer’s guidelines here.