Craft Awards

The Best of the Best

Boost your credentials by entering your work in the MOWA Craft Awards.  

Watch your email for the secretary to let us know the deadline for this year's award deadline.  Awards are presented at each Annual Summer Conference.  

Please send your entries to:

Ron St. Germain

MOWA Craft Awards Chairman

7670 Jon Scott Drive

Grand Ledge, MI 48837

Please make sure your name and return address are on the outside of the package in which you mail your entries. Also, if you know of any outdoor editors that are NOT members of MOWA that you think would be willing to judge some entries, please let me know. 

CATEGORIES

1. MORT NEFF AWARD - For the best contribution of a broadcast to the conservation or enjoyment of natural resources. Any television, cable, radio broadcast, video, audio tape or film offered for sale, which deals with outdoor sports or the natural resources on which these activities are based.
    
2. C.A. "FRENCHY" PAQUIN AWARD - For the best contribution to the conservation of our natural resources in a newspaper or magazine. This emphasizes "hard news" topics such as policies, philosophy, management or mismanagement of natural resources including politics, legislation and public issues. There are two (2) categories: Newspaper and Magazine. Entries must be clearly marked on the cover sheet designating which category.
    
3. JAMES A.O. CROWE AWARD - For the best contribution by a columnist in a newspaper or magazine. This category recognizes those writers submitting daily, weekly and/or monthly columns on the enjoyment of our understanding of our natural resources. Editorials, commentaries and essays are included in this category. Features and hard news are not included.
   
   Special rules for this category:
   1. A single entry comprised of three (3) separate columns will be submitted for judging.
   2. Writers can submit only one (1) entry in each division - magazine and newspaper.
   3. Proof of columnist's standing must be included with proof of publication. This could be accomplished by being named in the publication's masthead or in a letter of verification by the publication's editor.
       
4. CLIFF KETCHAM AWARD - For the best outdoor feature - consumptive activity. Awarded in two divisions: Magazine and Newspaper. The award recognizes features about "consumptive activities" (such as hunting, fishing [including catch-and-release], trapping). The award recognizes humorous, instructive subjects, natural history or other such "soft" material written about consumptive activities. Entries must be clearly marked on the cover sheet designating which category.
    
5. HAROLD "OPIE" TITUS AWARD - Honoring the best book or chapter thereof. Minimum of five entries before the award is presented. Entries may be held in abeyance until enough entries are received. (Removal of byline is NOT necessary on these entries only.)
    
6. CHARLIE WELCH AWARD - For the best black and white photo. (One division for newspapers and magazines.)
    
7. GIL CLARK AWARD - For the best color photo. (One division for newspapers and magazines.)
    
8. JAMES H. HALL AWARD - For the best outdoor feature highlighting a non-consumptive activity. Awarded in two divisions: Magazine and Newspaper. The award recognizes features about "non-consumptive activities" (such as travel, camping, canoeing, hiking). The award recognizes humorous, instructive subjects, natural history or other such "soft" material written about non-consumptive activities. Entries must be clearly marked on the cover sheet designating which category.

GENERAL RULES FOR ALL ENTRIES

1. A single article or series of articles (including photos or broadcast segments) may be counted as a single entry if the series deals with the same specific subject. Series appearing in print will be mounted on a single mounting board.
    
2. Only two (2) entries may be made in each category/division by any one member or team. A member may submit entries in more than one category/division.
    
3. Proof of publication or broadcast must be included with each entry. This may take the form of tearsheets, clips, or, in the case of broadcasts, a letter from the station manager, program manager or other responsible party attesting to the date and time of broadcast. In the case of films, videos or audios offered for retail sale, proof may take the form of certificates or letters from a disinterested third party showing the manufacture, distribution, inventory or sale of the product. Such proof, along with a card with the name and address of the member submitting the entry and the publication or broadcast date, must be placed in a sealed envelope affixed to the entry. Staples are best. For broadcast entries, attach to the cassette or film/tape. Make sure the name in the envelope is how you want it to appear on any plaque or certificate.
    
4. For writing and photo awards, all entries must be mounted on soft cardboard/mounting board that is either 8 ½ x 11 or 11 x 14. NO OTHER SIZE OF MOUNTING BOARD WILL BE ACCEPTED. Use tape, glue sticks or staples to affix the entry to the mounting board. DO NOT USE PAPER CLIPS. If submitting copies rather than the original published work, copies must be easily legible.
    
5. In the "Crowe" category, all three pieces of work submitted will be mounted on the same mounting board. Tape works best for this, and submissions should appear one on top of the other in a laddered format, or mounted side-by-side.
    
6. Slides may be submitted in protective envelopes. Photos should be submitted no larger than 8 x 10. Prints may be the prints themselves or magazine quality reproductions. Do not matte photo entries. The award category is based on how the photo/slide appeared in publication. (If the photo/slide appeared in black/white upon publication then the entry must be made in the black/white category.)
    
7. A cover sheet is required for all print/photo submissions. Use white paper stapled or taped to the mounting board with the submission underneath the cover sheet. Indicate on the cover sheet which category and which division the submission is for. For instance: Ketcham Award (category) - Magazine (division).
    
8. All identifying marks on the submission that indicate the publication or the author must be removed. Either cut them out or cover them up with a magic marker or grease pencil. If a submitted work can be identified it will be disqualified. (Books need not have the author/publisher removed.)
    
9. In the broadcast category, video submissions will only be accepted on standard VHS tape. In order to retain as much objectivity as possible, labels on the tape should be blank except with an annotation as to the running time. The length of entries is not restricted except that feature length videos or programs, more than one hour in length, should be entered in the winter Teddy Awards. A blank envelope containing the entrant's name and address, as well as proof of broadcast, should be either taped to the entry or affixed with a rubber band.
    
10. Submissions in any of the categories will only be accepted from members in good standing with dues paid in full by the March 1 entry deadline.
     
11. In the Paquin, Ketcham and Hall categories, distinction between magazine submissions and newspaper submissions is determined by the stock on which the story appeared. If the original was published in a periodical published on newspaper stock (i.e.: Woods-n-Water News, Michigan Outdoor News) it's a newspaper submission. If the original was published in a periodical printed on magazine stock (i.e.: Michigan Out-of-Doors, Michigan Sportsman) it's a magazine submission.