ABOUT THE CONTEST
(see bottom of page for information about the blog)
Founded in 2006, the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest is a free annual event held each spring and open to Whatcom County, Washington, residents of all ages and all levels of experience. From each year’s submissions, two judges, respected Washington poets, select winning poems. Walk Award poems are displayed for a year on the Sue Boynton Poetry Walk in front of the Bellingham Public Library (one of a growing number of permanent poetry installations in the U.S.); beautiful placards of both Walk and Merit Award poems are displayed for a year inside Whatcom Transportation Authority buses that serve routes throughout the county. Winning poets are invited to read at a public awards ceremony in May.
The Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest is a program of Whatcom Poetry Series, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. To make a donation, please download our Donor Form, fill it out and mail it with your check or pay by Venmo.
BoyntonPoetryContest@hotmail.com
Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest
Post Office Box 621
Bellingham, WA 98227
U.S.A.
Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest judges
2023
Caitlin Scarano
Leslie Wharton
2022
Victor Ortiz
Dayna Patterson
2021
Robert Lashley
Elizabeth Vignali
2020
Roger Gilman
Kami Westhoff
2019
Jessica Lohafer
Christopher Patton
2018
Richard Widerkehr
Jane Wong
2017
Jacob Hartsoch
Laura Laffrado
2016
Luther Allen
Luci Shaw
2015
Caleb Barber
Jeanne Yeasting
2014
James Bertolino
Sheila Nickerson
2013
Bruce Beasley
Mary Gillilan
2012
Jeffrey Morgan
Betty Scott
2011
Maria McLeod
Stan Tag
2010
Mary Cornish
Jeremy Voigt
2009
Oliver de la Paz
Kathleen Flenniken
2008
Jennifer Bullis
John Burgess
2007
Paul Hunter
Donna Rushing
2006
Jack McCarthy
Nancy Pagh
Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest committee
2023
Sarah King
Rachel Mehl – co-chair
Joan Packer
Matthew Stuckey
Flannery White – co-chair
2022
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Rachel Mehl
Jay Nahani
Joan Packer
2021
Donald Antenen
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Rachel Mehl
Jay Nahani
Joan Packer
2020
Donald Antenen
Victoria Doerper
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
2019
Nora Whitley Abelite
Donald Antenen
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Dean Kahn
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Dayna Patterson
2018
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Dean Kahn
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Dayna Patterson
2017
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Jessica Lee
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Dayna Patterson
Aaron Silverberg
2016
Sandra Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Lacy Heinz
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Erica Reed
2015
Don Cramer
Sandy Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Tim Lucy
Wendy McLeod
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Betty Scott
Chris Wallace
2014
Don Cramer
Sandy Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Tim Lucy
Wendy McLeod
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Betty Scott
2013
Sandy Dutton
Susan J. Erickson
Kari Galbraith
Norman L. Green
Tim Lucy
Wendy McLeod
Rachel Mehl
Joan Packer
Kim Roe
Ellie Rogers
2012
Rachel Ballard
Nancy Canyon
Susan J. Erickson
Norman L. Green
Christine M. Kendall
J.I. Kleinberg
Tim Lucy
Joan Packer
Ellie Rogers
Sheila Sondik
2011
Luther Allen
Nancy Canyon
Susan J. Erickson
Christine M. Kendall
J.I. Kleinberg
Tim Lucy
Joan Packer
Colleen Schwartz
Sheila Sondik
2010
Luther Allen
Nancy Canyon
Susan J. Erickson
Katie Humes
J.I. Kleinberg
Tim Lucy
Joan Packer
Sheila Sondik
2009
Luther Allen
Nancy Canyon
George Drake
Susan J. Erickson
J.I. Kleinberg
Joan Packer
Sheila Sondik
2008
Luther Allen
Anita Boyle
Nancy Canyon
George Drake
Susan J. Erickson
Kevin Murphy
Joan Packer
2007
Anita Boyle
Barbara Davis-Pyles
George Drake
Susan J. Erickson
Malcolm Kenyon
Scott Stodola
2006
Jim Bertolino
Anita Boyle
George Drake
Susan J. Erickson
Robert Huston
Malcolm Kenyon
The Boynton blog was started in 2010 by J.I. Kleinberg, who was a Walk Award winner in 2008 and served on the Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest committee from 2009 through 2012. Its intent was to provide an online presence for the contest, which it continues to do (along with Facebook), even as it has expanded to explore wider poetry-related content. Although no longer on the committee, Kleinberg still maintains the blog, posting almost daily. To contact J.I. Kleinberg, leave a Comment on any post or send an email to thepoetrydepartment [at] gmail.com.
The Poetry Department . . . aka The Boynton Blog 
March 15, 2012 at 8:23 pm
is this where I leave my address to receive notices about the poetry contest?
March 16, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Thanks for visiting the blog. We don’t send a lot of notices, but post just about everything you could possibly want to know about the poetry contest on the pages of this site. Check the 2012 Contest page for the important dates and the complete guidelines. If you’re a Whatcom County, Washington, resident, we hope you’ll submit a poem! If you have a specific question, please send it along. Thanks!