Leah Larson, the 17-year-old founder, editor and publisher of YALDAH magazine, will be collecting $100,000 for her mother’s grand prize winning essay, “Dream Girl,” in the Someday Stories Contest. (Larson was one year too young to enter the contest herself.)
A total of 28,880 people voted for YALDAH. The contest, sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank, started with 10,000 entries, from which five finalists were ultimately selected.
The following is an open letter from Leah Larson to YWN and its readers:
Dear YWN,
Thank you so much for spreading the word about voting in the Wells Fargo contest, especially in the last few hours of voting! I’m sure YWN readers made up a lot of those last minute votes. Thank you to all YWN readers who took their time to vote, and to spread the word. This shows how much we can accomplish when we have achdus. Every vote counted, and you made the difference! I look forward to sharing only good news.
Leah Larson
Editor & Publisher
YALDAH Magazine
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10 Responses
Congratulations to Leah for the well-deserved honor!
its nice that she won, and even nicer that she has hakoras hatov
Congratulations to the Larson Family!
Just winning must be really exciting. Leah, you are a true example for others to pursue their goals and not to let others be discouraging. Your friends that encouraged you from the beginning and stood by your side are also to be commended.
Also, it goes without saying that it is obvious where you get your inner strength from (congratulations Mrs. Larson for daring to enter the Wells Fargo contest!).
To the both of you: My daughters and I are looking forward to when your magazine will be distributed here in Israel.
Mazal Tov! Mazal Tov!
– from Softwords and family
mazel tov on winning! Thanks to YWN for letting us know about it!
Wow, this is amazing!
I met the Chabad shliach who brought them closer to Yiddishkayt and he told me of their dedication to Yiddishkayt, including having to “uproot” the family and move to a more frum neighborhood etc.
Mazel tov! Wishing you much hatzlacha. May your inspiration and chizuk to generation(s) of bnos Yisroel hasten the coming of Mashiach in our days.
Congratulations!!! I am most happy for you!!! May you continue to have tremendous success in all your future endeavors!!!
But please don’t forget my plea in the earlier article re: your magazine. Please make sure to get a well- known and respected Rabbinical authority to be the official “Rav hamachshir” of your publication. I have no doubt you’ll feel much better about it if you’ll have the blessings of a “chashuv” Rabbi, as well as the blessings of EVERYONE from the frum community, including those who may be more yeshivish than yourself.
HATZLACHA RABBA!!!
Very good! Mazal Tov!! We helped by voting!
Encouragement for good work is valuable!
DaasTorahWtchdg is quite right. IT is very important to have Daas Torah behind you.
Here is an excerpt from an email I received. Basically, there is another contest very similar to the Wells Fargo contest, and there is a Frum woman (Yaakov Shwekey’s wife) in it as well. So, just like we helped Leah Larson and Yalda Magazine, let us all help Mrs. Shwekey and The Special Children’s Center.
“SCC was founded by Jenine Shwekey (now the wife of singer Yaakov Shwekey) when she was a senior in high school. From its beginning more than ten years ago, SCC has developed into a major program, not just after school, but it has respite, family support, summer program and many other wonderful activities for these special children.
Jenine Shwekey has been chosen by L’Oreal of Paris as a “Women of Worth” Honoree. There were eighty contestants of which L’Oreal picked ten women. These are all ten wonderful women with different projects that they started to benefit different causes. The winner’s organization will receive a $25,000 donation from L’Oreal.
Please click on this link (or cut and paste into your browser) http://www.womenofworth.com/honorees/honoreesVotingSelect.aspx
click on Jenine Shwekey and vote for her. Please pass this on to all your friends and family.”