Winners of the SAGEs essay contest were (from left) Rita Haessly of Oberlin, Johnnie Broeckel of Sheffield Lake and Lila McGinnis of Elyria.

The winners are: Johnnie Broeckel for “Reflections at Sixty”; Rita Haessly for “Finding Color”; and Lila McGinnis for “At the Time.” 

“Despite the fact that senior citizens are our most valuable resource in terms of expertise, wisdom, and the capacity to mentor, their life accomplishments remain vastly under-recognized and under-acknowledged,” said LCCC English Professor Kevin Hoskinson. Hoskinson created and coordinated the SAGEs program.

According to 2008 census figures, 13.5 % of the Lorain County population, or roughly 41,000 people, are 65 years of age or older. The SAGEs program attempts to provide a forum for the unique and rich learning stories of this group.

Read all of the SAGEs essays at www.lorainccc.edu/sages.