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I forgot to get the below article to our club's magazine editors in time. And it's my understanding that the next issue of our club's magazine will not be out until after our 2013 convention. So I'm posting this nomination article here in hopes that it will get out to most of our members, and that Greg and I will be flooded with award nominations!
Hernando De Soto and Special Achievement Awards
by Bill Noble, Special Achievement Award Coordinator
Each year, during our National Convention, the club presents the Hernando De Soto Award and the Special Achievement Awards. Now is the time for you to start thinking about who should win these awards this year. Do you know a club member, or a group of club members, who have done something special for our club or for De Sotos? Perhaps she, he or they have been extra helpful in finding parts or information about De Sotos for other members. Or maybe they have helped out other members with their cars, or answered lots of questions on our club’s message board, or let non-members know more about De Sotos and our club while at car shows and swap meets. If you do, and would like that person or group to be acknowledged for their efforts, then nominate that person or group for either one of our Special Achievement Awards or for the Hernando De Soto Award.
The Special Achievement Awards are presented to our club members who have gone that extra mile during the previous year to help our club, our members, or our De Sotos. Anyone who is a member of our club may nominate another member, or group of members, for this award. If the member(s) being nominated has already won a Special Achievement Award during a previous convention, then this nomination would have to be for a different reason than that for which they have already won. Last year, five Special Achievement Awards were given to members. These awards went to the Pitchfords for hosting the 2011 convention, Les Pesavento for all of the behind-the-scene work that he does for our club, Judith Kidder for being our club’s magazine editor for over 10 years, Dan Lyman for filling in as guest editor and also helping our new editor get up to speed, and Greg Walters for all of the work he’s done for our club since starting it back in 1984. Other examples of past winners are: parts reproduction projects, extra-ordinary membership recruitment, club projects, starting a chapter, chapter newsletter editor, dash plaque artwork, calendar editor, coordinating a gathering of De Sotos during the Carlisle All Chrysler National, driving a De Soto cross-country, participating in a Great Race, and proofreading our club’s magazine.
The Hernando De Soto Award is presented to our members who have done the most for our club. This annual award is the highest honor our club bestows upon any of our members. The effort that the member has demonstrated and is being nominated for may have occurred at any time during our club’s existence. Last year, the winner was some bozo named Noble. He has attended all 27 of our conventions, and helped judged at all of them. Also, he’s been a Trustee for several years including being the Trustee Secretary, Election Coordinator, Convention Coordinator, Special Achievement Award Coordinator, Buckeye Chapter VP & Secretary, newsletter & club magazine article writer, and has been a convention co-chair and past club President. (But apparently can’t get the award nomination article to the editors in time!)
So, if you know of an individual or a group of members who deserve a large pat-on-the-back for their special effort, please nominate them for either one or our Special Achievement Awards, or for the Hernando De Soto Award, or both. Each nomination for these awards should include a detailed description of what was done for our club or our members or our De Sotos. For the Special Achievement Awards, please submit your nomination(s) to me by either mailing it to 2214 Grange Hall Rd, Beavercreek, OH 45431-2338, USA; or by e-mailing it to nobledesoto@ameritech.net. For the Hernando De Soto Award, please submit your nomination(s) to Greg Walters by either mailing it to 1308 Clark Ave, Piqua, OH 45356-3016, USA; or by e-mailing it to desoto1956@hotmail.com. Please have your nominations in no later than 15 June, 2013. Thank you for your participation in the acknowledgement of the special efforts put forth by our members.
