This past weekend I was honoured to attend the Ma Murray Community Newspaper Awards on behalf of the Review after being selected as a finalist for the John Collison Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism.
My nomination as a finalist was based on a series of articles published in the Review late last summer, outlining some issues negatively affecting some of the Mexican farm workers in the Similkameen.
The Review’s entry faced some pretty serious competition. We came up against a series of articles written by Jeff Nagel of the Surrey News Leader (which ran in the Review last year) and a submission written by Aaron Orlando of the Revelstoke Times Review about squalid conditions in B.C. forestry workers’ camps.
I have to admit that having to address a large public audience (i.e., more than three people) is not an experience that I thrive on.
I think I would sooner face having my fingernails pulled out, one at a time, or get waterboarded than to have to address an audience.
Well, it might not be quite that bad, but you get the idea.
At any rate, I didn’t have anything to worry about last Saturday night as only the first place finisher had to go up on stage.
That well deserved honour went to Jeff Nagel for his articles on the justice system.
Aaron Orlando won second place for his submission, leaving the Review with third.
Jeff used his presentation opportunity to prove that not only is he an exceptional journalist, he is also a gracious, urbane and charitable winner.
Upon accepting his first place award, Jeff’s remarks were almost entirely directed (favourably) towards his two competitors. I won’t go into details about what he said, but suffice to say that when he finished, I didn’t feel as though I had lost to him at all.
I never had an opportunity to speak to Aaron, but I’m sure he must have felt the same way.
We seem to be living in a time where disrespect of our fellow man is rampant - from contending with things in our daily lives like road rage, to witnessing those game-by-game attempted-decapitations-loosely-disguised-as-body checks in the NHL, to everything in between.
Such things as civility, selflessness and - most key - respect for each other - seem to be in rapid decline.
(This isn’t meant to be preachy - I would readily include myself as also being responsible for helping to create that perception of humanity.)
Jeff’s few comments last Saturday night made everyone feel good - including his competitors.
That kind of consideration is a rare thing indeed. It was a great thing for me to experience - and who knows? - maybe even learn something from.
Congratulations, Jeff, on a job well done. You proved to be the better man in more than one category on Saturday night.