[MR] KASF 2009 Rose Challenge

[Denise McMahon]

On behalf of the Roses of Atlantia I would like to extend my warm  
thanks to everyone who participated in this years Kingdom Arts and  
Science Festival Challenge. Entries were amazingly diverse and every  
one one of them brought forward an essential aspect of what the  
"Heart of Atlantia" meant to them. The talent showcased in this  
particular competition ran the gamut and delighted both the eye and  
all the other senses as well. It gives me great hope to see the  
extraordinary riches that Atlantia possesses in it's Artisans be so  
well represented, given the short preparation time that the Rose  
Challenge afforded this year. I'm hoping that we can make it a part  
of every KASF from now on.

I would also like to offer my personal thanks to Countess Aryanna who  
capably and generously stepped forward at the very last minute when  
my knee gave out Saturday and took over the judging in so gracious a  
fashion. She made sure that all the Roses present had the opportunity  
to see the entries and participate in the very difficult task of  
selecting a winner for the day.

To the winners, I hope that you had fun and that you enjoy your  
prizes! I'm also hoping that Chagan Khatun rescues me here with the  
names of our winners at some point so that I don't hopelessly mangle  
their names and make a complete fool of myself.

To all the Roses who attended KASF 2009, I thank you, my Sisters, for  
supporting my humble efforts, but most of all, I owe you my warmest  
thanks for supporting the celebration of the myriad arts of this  
wonderful Kingdom in so fine a fashion.

In happy service to the Kingdom I love--

Countess Rowan




"Even as the fingers of the two hands are equal, so are human beings  
equal to one another. No one has any right, nor any preference to  
claim over another. You are brothers." - Muhammad, final sermon.