Cedar Grove Woman Wins Legacies Writing Contest

Peggy La Vake from Cedar Grove is one of this year's winners in the annual Essex County Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest for her essay “Pieces of Me.”

La Vake's story is one of eight winners selected in the contest organized by the Essex County Division of Senior Services.

The Legacies Writing Contest encourages Essex senior citizens to write essays about the people and events that have influenced their lives. 

After the passing of her brother, La Vake gets to know her family history better through the letters and photographs that her sister-in-law sends to her. There is a letter from her grandfather sent while he was serving as a medic in World War I, before she was born. Photographs from family trips and of her mother before her two children were born capture her attention.

“This giant puzzle that will portray a family is just beginning to take shape, and I am now wishing that all my cast of characters were here with me to help place the final pieces together. We would sit close together at my small round kitchen table, gathered in the same room, excited and surprised to be here… And we would all know in our hearts, without speaking, the importance of things left behind,” she writes.

La Vake and the other winners were recognized at a luncheon on Friday.

“I am happy to share my story, ‘Pieces of Me,’ with everyone today. Thank you to everyone for this award," she said.

The Director’s Award was given to Newark resident Sara Turner for her story, “The Cabin.” The other winning stories were “A Symbol of Hope” by Nutley resident Joseph Cervasio, “She Was Just Gram” by Nutley resident Donna O’Donnell Figurski, and “My Strange Friendship with Old Bill” by Fairfield resident Donald Hults.