| The National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) is a
non-profit organization, exclusively educational and literary. Its purpose
is to recognize the importance of poetry with respect to national cultural
heritage. It is dedicated solely to the furtherance of poetry on the
national level and serves to unite poets in the bonds of fellowship and
understanding.
The NFSPS sponsors fifty annual poetry contests with cash prizes totaling
over $6,000, including a grand prize of $1,500. It also sponsors a contest
for a collection of poems by one poet, with a cash prize of $1,000.
Strophes is the national society's official newsletter. It
is published quarterly with national news but also with state societies'
news. It announces numerous contests and lists the national board members
and state presidents. The summer issue provides names of judges and winners
for the national contests.
Annual conventions are conducted for business, instruction, and
fellowship. Poets who attend share poetry, ideas, and inspiration, which
they carry home to their local organizations. The 2008 convention will
be held in Layton, Utah, on June 19-22.
The Federation Library Collection is housed at Baylor University in Waco,
Texas. In addition to the Encores (prize poem anthologies which contain winners of
the national poetry contests), the collection includes books and materials
provided by organizations and individuals.
The emblem of the Federation is the Athenian Greek coin insignia that
appears on all NFSPS publications and has been incorporated into the design
of the medal (see above) which is presented to NFSPS presidents at the end
of their terms.
The members of the Federation are members of an NFSPS affiliated state
organization. Any poet wishing to know the location of his or her state
society may contact NFSPS for this information. Send a business-sized SASE
to Russell H. Strauss, 18 S. Rembert St., Memphis, TN 38104.
These officers were elected at the national convention in
2006 and 2007 in San Antonio, Texas and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma..
Honorary Chancellor
Lewis Turco Executive Board: The Executive Board shall be comprised of all elected officers of the NFSPS
and the immediate past president. This body shall serve as the governing body of NFSPS.
[NFSPS Bylaws, Article VI--Executive Board, Section A.] President
Doris Stengel
dpoet@brainerd.net
1510 S. 7th St.
Brainerd, MN 56401
1st Vice
President, Contest sponsors and Brochures
Nancy Baass
nbaass@earthlink.net
2306 N. DeLeon St
Victoria, TX 77901
2nd Vice President, Membership
Russell H. Strauss
RSTRpoet@cs.com
18 S. Rembert St.
Memphis, TN 38104 3rd Vice President, Judges Selection
Jeremy Downes
downejm@auburn.edu
832 Tacoma Drive
Auburn, AL 36830 4th Vice President, College/University Level Poetry Awards
N. Colwell Snell
SBSenior@juno.com
P. O. Box 520698
Salt Lake City, UT 84152-0698 Immediate Past President, Chairman: Presidential Advisors
Budd Powell Mahan
bmahan@airmail.net
7059 Spring Valley Road
Dallas, TX 75254
Chancellor, Convention Coordinator
Lucille Morgan Wilson
lucille_e_wilson@hotmail.com
2325 61st Street
Des Moines, IA 50322 1st Vice Chancellor, Youth Work Chair
Steve Concert
paperlesspoetsonline@hotmail.com
6 Kitchen Ave.
Harvey's Lake, PA 18618
2nd Vice Chancellor, Stevens Manuscript Awards
Eleanor Berry
eberry@wvi.com
22614 N. Santiam Hwy
Lyons, OR 97358
Treasurer
John Ottley
4490 Old Burlington St.
Alpharetta, GA 30022 Secretary
Mary Christine Delea
christinedelea@cs.com
106 Randall Court
Oregon City, OR 97045-3540 Appointive Board: Contest Chair
Theda L. Bassett
theda_bassett2002@yahoo.com
30 West Lester Avenue D-27
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
Strophes Editor
Madelyn Eastlund
verdure@tampabay.rr.com
310 S. Adams St.
Beverly Hills, FL 34465 Encore Editor
Valerie Bailey
vbailey@satx.rr.com
2207 Parhaven Drive
San Antonio, TX 78232 Judges Selection
Alan Downes
downescvanb@astound.net
1206 13th Ave. SE
St. Cloud, MN 56304 Librarian
Peggy Zuleika Lynch
margrettel@aol.com
4917 Ravenwood Dr., #260
San Antonio, TX 78227
Manningham Trust Awards
Leona Welch
lrwelch@peoplepc.com
501 Amsden
Denison, TX 75021
Manningham Advisor
Sam Wood
1570 Auburn Way
Reno, NV 89502
Parliamentarian & Legal Advisor to Board
Susan S. Chambers
poetsue@aol.com
57310 166th Lane
Good Thunder, MN 56037 Poetry Day/Poetry
Month Liaison
Caroline Walton
carowaltonb@tampabay.rr.com
6176 W. Pinedale Circle
Crystal River FL 34429 Special Awards
Amy Jo Zook
3520 State RR 56
Mechanicsburg, OH 43044 Webmaster
Tom Padgett
tpadgett1@alltel.net
523 N. Park Place
Bolivar, MO 65613 Presidential Advisors: An advisory board shall be composed of past presidents of the federation to
take advantage of their expertise and experience. The president shall call on the advisory board for
advice and guidance whenever the president shall deem it prudent. The immediate past president shall
be the chairperson of the advisory board and shall be its representative on the executive board.
[NFSPS Bylaws, Article VI--Advisory Board}
Budd Powell Mahan (Chrm.), Madelyn Eastlund, Susan S. Chambers, Clarence P. Socwell
Past NFSPS Presidents:
*Cecilia Parsons Miller, *Clinton Larson, *Robert D. West, *Edna Meudt,
*Marvin Davis Winsett, *Max Golightly, *Hans Juergensen, *Russell Ferrall,
Jean Jenkins, *Catherine Case Lubbe, Glenn Swetman,
*Carl Morton, *Alice Briley, *Wauneta
Hackleman, *Jack Murphy, *Barbara Stevens, *Henrietta Kroah, *Jerry Robbins, Pat Stodghill, Wanda Blaisdell,
Ralph Hammond, Amy Jo Zook,
Susan S. Chambers, Clarence P. Socwell, Madelyn Eastlund, and Budd Paul
Mahan.
* Deceased |
