FIRST PLACE WINNER:

Lucille Miller of Southfield receives a
$500 gift certificate from Tapper's
Diamonds & Fine Jearelry in West
Bloomfield.

As a young girl, I was an art stu-
dent in a school in an old building
where the classrooms were divided
by tall, portable wooden screens.
One day, I was alone in the
sculpting area. next to the oil
painting classroom.

Risa Tisdale Van Der Aue and her

daughter, Allison, are all smiles

after mom's miraculous recovery.

The painters left early and
stacked their heavy wooden easels
against the wall. I was concentrat-
ing on modeling a clay head when
I suddenly had an overwhelming
desire to call my mother.
I left the room and walked to
the telephone. I had never called
home before and my mother asked
why I was calling.
"I don't know" I answered. "I
just felt like talking to you."
At that moment, there was a
loud noise and much excitement. A

woman ran up to me and yelled,
"Here she is, she's all right."
I learned that the wall behind
where I was working had collapsed
with the weight of the easels and
had smashed into my table and
destroyed my clay head. They had
been searching for me under the
debris.
This was my miracle: The mira-
cle of the strength and power of a
mother's love that had reached out
to protect her only child.
It has been many years since

that day, but it remains a precious
memory of a loving mother and th
miracle we shared.

SECOND PLACE WINNER:

Risa Tisdale Van Der Aue of
Commerce Township receives a $300
gift certificate from Tapper's Diamond
& Fine Jewelry in West Bloomfield.

(continued on page 16)