Best MOM Contest update….

…Sometimes in life things don’t exactly work out the way you plan them, and this “Best Mom” contest is a perfect example. After handing out postcards all over Toronto I expected to get lots of entries, with a select group of really strong stories. What I got was 36 AMAZING, thoughtful love filled letters about some really incredible women.

These women:

-Single-handedly raised children into healthy, happy, successful adults.
-Left abusive relationships to protect themselves and their children.
-Are involved in their communities by giving their time and talents to charity work.
-Raised or are raising children and caring for husbands with illness and physical disabilities.
-Generous with their love and money, even when there is not always a lot of the latter to go around.
-Best friends to their children and partners, providing a safe haven from life’s struggles.
-Funny and adventurous taking risks to follow their dreams.
-Entrepreneurs who run their own businesses and still find ways to make their families a priority.
-Are survivors of cancer and heart attacks and other illnesses.
-Range in age from women who became mother’s at 19 to women who are grandmothers of 82.
-Are environmental stewards for their communities.
-Made enormous sacrifices to allow their partners and children to follow their dreams.
-Give of themselves unconditionally.
-Love unconditionally.

How could I possibly narrow it down to FOUR? What I have realized though is that this contest was a wonderful opportunity for daughters, sons, husbands and friends to reflect on what makes the mothers in their lives so special.

So here’s where it gets interesting…

Rather than narrow it down, we are going to randomly pick the grand prize winner and contact her on Mother’s Day this coming Sunday. For everyone else who entered a mother, I have decided to start a photography portrait project about Mothers. Each of the 36 entrants have been contacted and I am offering all of them a portrait with the mother that they entered. The portrait sessions will take place over the coming year and will culminate in a photo exhibit for Mother’s Day 2009. There were a couple of entrants who did not provide an email address to contact you by. If you are one of these people, please email me at info@tynanstudio.com if you are interested in participating.

Stay tuned… we will announce the grand prize portrait package winner tomorrow!

A huge thanks to EvyMama, Madeleine’s Cherry Pie & Ice Cream, Prettiface Hair & Makeup, and the flower market at Pusateri’s for all the amazing items that make up our fabulous prize package worth over $1200!