After many months of work--beginning as local writers sat down in solitude to write their stories, and culminating with writer Jason Gargano's coverage in CityBeat of the InkTank writing competition's success--we're now enjoying the fruits of our labor and you can too: Pick up the latest issue of CityBeat to read Marie Steele O'Nan's winning story, "The Trees in Falmouth, Kentucky," and to read about InkTank's plans for the future. And don't forget to join us May 30th at 7:30 p.m., when we'll be honoring all of the participants in InkTank's first writing competition. Good writing is good reason to celebrate. (And so is winning the cover of CityBeat.)

Join us as we honor the winners and finalists of Write Here, the InkTank Writing Competition for local writers, at a special Final Friday event, May 30, 2008, at 7:30 p.m., at InkTank World Headquarters on Main Street. The evening will culminate with readings by our grand prize winner, Marie Steele O'Nan (whose story will appear in an upcoming issue of CityBeat) and our two runners up. Raise a glass to the success of these fine Cincinnati writers and celebrate the city's emerging literary talent.

The story of InkTank began with a simple challenge: build a literacy center for the people of Cincinnati. Four years later, the nonprofit organization is a fixture in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood and a beloved symbol of all that is possible when people come together to make a difference. But it turns out that answering a simple challenge is not as simple as it may first appear. Despite our many successes, the organization has also faced many losses, and our survival has hinged upon our ability to shift and change with the times.

InkTank is known for its unique and original programming, serving thousands of area writers, readers and friends of arts. And it’s also known for the motivated core of volunteers as its heart. The time has come to open a new chapter in InkTank’s story and take on a new challenge: build an InkTank staffed and serviced almost entirely by committed volunteers.

The InkTank you’ve come to know and love will change as we prepare to meet this new challenge, and we’d like to invite you to take a more active role in shaping our collective future. Stay tuned to learn how you can get more involved.

Join us as we honor the contributions of long-time InkTank volunteer coordinator and assistant director Brad Wedig, and executive director Ann Fine in a special InkTank Final Friday event. It’s not easy saying goodbye to an extraordinary staff, but we know we're sending Brad and Ann into bright futures. We’re also eager to celebrate InkTank’s new beginnings. Enjoy food, beverages, reminiscences, performances, and spontaneous literary happenings, and find out how you can get involved this Friday.

The festivities will begin at 7:30 p.m., at InkTank World Headquarters, 1311 Main Street, Cincinnati.

Here are the details on our winners:

Grand Prize:
Marie Steele O'Nan with "The Trees in Falmouth, Kentucky"

Runners Up:
Robert B. Schofield with "Treefall"

Stacey R. Hall with "Death by Car"

Finalists:
Sujata Naik
Joyce Miller
Lynda L. Crane
Emerson Hodell Dyer
Benita Rubio
Melissa Currence
Joy E. Love   more »

IF YOU CAN IMAGINE CINCINNATI WITHOUT INKTANK, OR OVER-THE-RHINE WITHOUT INKTANK, READ NO FURTHER.

Think about it--without ink, there's only paper, and lots of it...tumbling down Main Street between the shuffling steps of neighborhood residents as the winter wind plucks it from the gutters and tosses it past door after boarded up door. Where'd InkTank go? Where is that warm and comforting place that used to reside on Main Street? Where is all the energy and the life InkTank used to bring to this challenged side of town? Where's the Open Mic's, the Salons, Brad's friendly smile and chat, the Book Bank, the open door and life-giving lights on cold Final Friday Nights? If you can imagine InkTank gone...what does it feel like? We send this special call to action now, to suggest it could be, soon, if we don't act right now.

Dear Friends of InkTank:

If you're receiving this letter, it's because you know InkTank. Perhaps you're one of the thousands of people (more than 6,000 last year) who    more »

WHAT EQUIPMENT/TOOLS DOES INKTANK NEED RIGHT NOW?
HERE'S OUR COMPLETE WISHLIST

We have finally created the ultimate wishlist! As Inktank grows it needs to grow with the needs of our constituency, and to accomplish that we need to have the right tools and the right equipment for the job! Here's a handy list that you might enjoy helping Inktank dwindle down! Use the "Donate Now" Button (ABOVE) to Shop for Inktank; just type the name of any one of the items listed into the "designation" box on the donate page at Network for Good. Your donation will be directly applied to the purchase of that item: INSTANT IMPACT!! See "more" link for complete wishlist.   more »