It is with deep sadness that we announce that our founder, Lorraine B. Merrill, passed away November 22, 2020. When it came to writing, Lorraine possessed a natural talent propelled by a driving passion. It was this, coupled with her love of teaching, that led to the creation of Power of the Pen, a program that has impacted hundreds of thousands of young writers for over 30 years. We extend our condolences to the family and will miss Lorraine deeply.

An endowment fund has been established in memory of Frank and Lorraine Merrill to support young writers participating in Power of the Pen. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the Power of the Pen Founders’ Award at the Springfield Foundation at 333 N Limestone Street, Suite 201, Springfield, Ohio 45503.