Access Press and its board of directors are seeking nomination for the 2009 Charlie Award. The award honors the late Charlie Smith, founding editor of Access Press. The award is given people or organizations that provide exceptional service to Minnesota’s disability community.
The award is presented at the annual Access Press banquet, which is a popular social event for the disability community. The banquet has been held since 2004 and grows in numbers each year. Growth in banquet attendance means this year’s event is at a new, larger location. The 2009 banquet will be on November 6 and held at the Minneapolis Airport Marriott, 2020 E. American Blvd, Bloomington, MN.
Reservation forms will be online and in the newspaper in the weeks ahead. The Access Press banquet is not only a time to honor those who serve the disability community and to mark past accomplishments; it is also a time to look ahead to the future.
Charlie Smith Award nominations are due Monday, Aug. 31 at the Access Press office. A copy of the form appears on page 5 of this issue. Otherwise, get forms online or by stopping by the Access Press office at 1821 University Av., Suite 104, St. Paul, MN 55104.
Request a form by sending an email to dawn@testing.accesspress.org or by calling (651) 644-2133. Access Press can provide assistance in filling out the forms.
Past winners of the Charlie Smith Award are:
2008: Pete Feigal, Co-Founder of Tilting at Windmills
2007: Jim and Claudia Carlisle, People Enhancing People
2006: John Smith, University of MN
2005: Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (MN-CCD)
2004: Rick Cardenas, Co-Director of Advocating Change Together (ACT)
2003: Margot Imdieke Cross
You can remain anonymous when nominating someone for the award. But you need to submit your name and contact information, so Access Press may contact you if there are any questions about your nomination.
This year’s banquet has a new feature—a silent auction and raffle benefiting Access Press. Many nice prizes, including events tickets, artwork, goods and services, have been received. More donations would be appreciated. Why not use the silent auction and raffle to spotlight your business or group? Donors will receive publicity on the new Access Press Web site and in pre-event publicity. Proceeds from this event benefit Access Press and will be used to sustain newspaper operations. For questions about the silent auction and raffle, contact Dawn at (651) 644-2133 or dawn@testing.accesspress.org
