Michelle Maynard named Kiwanis' Mother of the Year

Lee Ward, The Daily Independent, Ashland, Ky.
·2 min read

Apr. 23—ASHLAND — Cadence Maynard, a seventh-grader at Boyd County Middle School, was the winner of the 20th annual Mother of the Year Essay Contest, sponsored by the Ashland Breakfast Kiwanis Club. She is an English student of Lora Parsons, the teacher of the last four winners.

"I was happy, but I was scared," Maynard said of winning the contest, because she knew she would have to read her work to those attending the club's meeting, which was Tuesday at the Ashland Area YMCA meeting room. She is the daughter of Brandon and Michelle Maynard.

This year's Mother of the Year essay competition came early, as previous announcements were made the week before the special day; the timing conflicted with state testing, making it impossible for the winner to attend and read the essay.

The essay was put on a plaque as a keepsake for Mrs. Maynard and Cadence Maynard passes to Gattiland and Cinemark Theaters. Rep. Scott Sharp, R-100th, presented a Kentucky House of Representatives citation honoring Michelle Maynard for being named Mother of the Year.

Meanwhile, Bill Burch, the only remaining charter member of the club and the head of the committee that administers the Mother of the Year and Father of the Year essay contests, continued the tradition of the contest by sharing quotes from some of the other essays submitted:

—"Mother is a multi-tasking person who unconditionally, leads by example and puts others before themselves."

—"I think my mom should win the Mother of the Year because she has sacrificed so much for me and our family."

—"My mother gives me the guidance I need to overcome what I am struggling with."

—"I think my mother should be the Mother of the Year because she is always caring about other people and not just herself."

—"My mother is the prettiest mother I have ever seen."

—"I think my grandmother should be the Mother of the Year because when me and my mom didn't have a home, my grandma let us live with her for a year."

—"I think my mom should be Mother of the Year. The reason I think this is because my mom is a single mom to four kids."

—"The world might not change if you adopt a child, but for that child, the world will change. It is giving the child a second chance."

—"I think my stepmom is one of the best. She's so caring, thoughtful and fun."

—"My mom deserves to be mother of the year because she works so hard for me and my family every day."

—"A mother's love is the ultimate sacrifice."

—"My mother is a great lady and such a great role model for me."

(606) 326-2661 — lward@dailyindependent.com