Pausing, in humble gratitude, for a few feathers in my cap

This is one of the stories that garnered me the SFJ Excellence-in-Features Journalism Award, my second-ever national award, and I’m taking it as a sign that I’m on the right path with environmental reporting.

Dear friends,

For almost a year, I’ve kept a gratitude journal. Every day, I write about at least one thing for which I’m grateful. Focusing on positive gratitude is a rewarding habit on several levels.

Sometimes my entries focus on little things like how intensely blue the sky was that day, a surprisingly beautiful flower in my garden, or how fun it was to catch up with a friend over coffee. I find that these entries help me deeply appreciate the many smaller moments that comprise my days. Other days, I’m grateful for big things like health and healing, or having a roof over my head. And those entries are good reminders that help me keep “the big picture” of life in perspective.

I’ve been keeping one recent source of gratitude a secret, until now. It was news that honestly brought tears to my eyes because it was so overwhelming–and still is. But I’m ready to let the cat out of the bag and share this joyful news:

I was awarded five journalism awards. (!)

One is even a national award (my second-ever), and I could not be more honored.

The Society for Features Journalism (SFJ), Excellence-in-Features Journalism Awards: Features Beat Writing Portfolio (three stories by the same writer on one features specialty topic), honorable mention (fourth place), for three environmental articles I wrote for TheBurg magazine in 2022:

This award is especially meaningful because I take it as a sign that I’m on the right path by continuing to pursue environmental topics in 2023.

This award came as quite a shock, for several reasons. First, the contest received 900 entries.

Additionally, my awards category (media outlets with a circulation less than 90,000) had me competing (as a freelancer!) against writers in larger cities such as New Orleans, Austin, and Nashville. There was only one other Pennsylvania writer, from the York Daily Record, who won an award in my division. In the larger-circulation Division Two, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette won a slew of awards. And in the largest-circulation Division Three, the Philadelphia Inquirer secured an award. I am completely blown away, honored and humbled to represent PA among an incredible group of talented features journalists across the country.

Here’s the entire list of national SFJ winners.

*“Back to the Beginning: What do we know about Native Americans in Adams County?” published in Celebrate Gettysburg magazine last fall, and I just learned it garnered a state journalism award.*

Meantime…

The Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) Keystone Chapter just announced its Excellence in Journalism Awards, and I’m over-the-moon to have secured four Pennsylvania awards:

Feature Story, non-daily publication:

“Back to the Beginning: What do we know about Native Americans in Adams County?,” Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, second place.

“Little Trumpets of Spring: Daffodils parade into Gettysburg,” Celebrate Gettysburg magazine, third place.

These two awards make my heart happy because Celebrate Gettysburg magazine was the first magazine for which I began freelancing years ago, and I think the world of its founder, owner and creative director Jessica Dean. And I have to give her credit: Both of the above stories came about as a direct result of her ideas. Thank you Jess, and I share these awards with you!

My two additional state awards:

Podcast, statewide competition: Second place for TheBurg Podcast, which I hosted and produced for TheBurg magazine. This is the fifth award TheBurg Podcast garnered over its three-year run.

And, Lifestyle/Entertainment Reporting, statewide competition, Foodie Reporting for TheBurg (a portfolio of work), third place. This portfolio included “Tasty Ticket”, “Restaurant Recycle” and “Brew Debut.”

The full list of Pennsylvania awards, here.

Today, I’m most grateful for… the dozens of people who I interviewed for all the linked, award-winning stories above. They answered my questions and shared their thoughts, insights, hopes and dreams–entrusting their words to me, so that I could share them, via these stories, with readers like you.