DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award

Thank you for sharing and donating to the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award through this crowdfunding page! 

We are continuing to raise funds for the award which covers registration, travel and hotel expenses to the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop for two writers who demonstrate financial need.

The fall 2022 crowdfunding page raising funds for the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award is accepting donations today, November 1, through December 1, 2022.

To visit the page and make your gift, click here. 

Thank you for your support!

Thank you!

In a word: wow! We were overwhelmed by the generosity of the Erma Nation and DC Stanfa’s family and friends as we wrapped up a “Flyer Funder” crowdfunding campaign on #GivingTuesday with $11,980 in gifts for the new DC Stanfa Memorial Writers’ Award. The award will benefit writers with financial need who want to attend the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop. Thank you so much for your generous gifts — and support for this new initiative.

By the numbers:

• 14,406 (dollars raised through Flyer Funder crowdfunding campaign and early donations)
• 239 (percentage over $5,000 goal)
• 54 (Flyer Funder donors)
• 17 (states represented)
• 13 (UNselfies)
• 1 (grateful family and Erma community)

“We are so touched and grateful for this outpouring of generosity,” said DC’s sister and fellow EBWW alum Sherry Stanfa-Stanley. “It is a testament to the tremendous impact DC had on so many lives as well as the respect and appreciation the writing community has for this esteemed workshop.”

The DC Stanfa Memorial Writers’ Award honors a beloved writer, humorist, and avid supporter and long-time attendee who died in January. With initial gifts from her husband, Tom Schonecker, and daughter, Cori Hedrick, the fund will provide financial support for writers, especially underrepresented ones.

Two awards, which cover the registration fee, travel expenses and hotel stay, will be available for the upcoming workshop, slated for March 24-26, 2022. Applications will be accepted in January, with guidelines announced soon.

Again, you have our deepest gratitude. 

Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of the Erma Nation and DC Stanfa’s family and friends, we have surpassed our stretch goal of $10,000. With 13 hours to go, we’re going to stretch even higher. Why not shoot for $12,000 or more?

Please encourage others to give, too. We invite you to create an #UNselfie for sharing on social media. Or just send your photos to erma@udayton.edu and we'll share them and include the images in our Facebook album of DC supporters and Erma champions. For directions and templates, click here.

On behalf of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, thank you for honoring DC's memory and supporting the dreams of writers!

We’d like to celebrate your generosity — and encourage others to give to the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers’ Award on #GivingTuesday. Our stretch goal is $10,000, and we’re nearly there! The campaign ends at midnight on Nov. 30.  

Please consider making an #UNselfie and sharing on social media or sending your #UNselfie to us at erma@udayton.edu to share. We’d love to flood our social media channels with these images on Tuesday, and you can help us do that.  For directions and templates, click here.

In advance, thank you for your generous spirit. Two writers with financial need will receive a full ride (registration, travel, hotel, meals) for the March 24-26 workshop — all in DC's memory. That's her legacy — bringing laughter to the world.

As we mourn the loss of DC Stanfa, a beautiful soul who lived life to the fullest, we celebrate the generosity of her family, friends and the Erma Nation for helping us create a writers’ award in her name. This is DC’s legacy.

Starting in 2022, we will help two writers, who otherwise could not afford it, attend the workshop that has inspired so many. That’s DC’s gift.

Thanks to your generosity, we’re well on our way to raising $10,000 for the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers’ Award by #GivingTuesday. In a selfless gesture, two donors who wish to remain anonymous will match gifts dollar for dollar.

Please share DC’s legacy with others — and help us honor her life.

Thank you, Erma Nation!

No other Flyer Funder campaign in the University of Dayton's history has reached its goal this quickly. But there's no other writing community in the land as supportive and as engaged as this one, either.

Between now and #GivingTuesday (Nov. 30), we're going to stretch and reach higher. DC would want us to help her family fully endow the DC Stanfa Memorial Writers' Award, which will help writers with financial need attend the workshop she loved. Can we raise another $5,000 or more? 

Let's spread the word — and let's stretch. #YouCanWrite