New Year’s greetings, MOWA members!

As you are reflecting on 2008 and moving into 2009, think about what your best writing was last year. And
while it’s on your mind, why not get it ready and enter it into the MOWA Craft Awards?

Entries must have been published or broadcast in 2008. (Exceptions: Entries submitted last year in the Mort
Neff (broadcast), Opie Titus (book), James Crowe (magazine columns), Jim Hall (magazine only – non-
consumptive topics), and Frenchy Paquin (magazine only - news topics) categories may be resubmitted as
this year's entry since there were insufficient entries in these categories to hold a contest last year.)

Winning entries will receive awards and be on display at the June OWAA/MOWA summer conference in
Grand Rapids. All entries will be returned at the summer conference. If an entrant wishes his/her entry
returned and will not be attending the summer conference, the entrant should make arrangements for
another MOWA member to pick them up, or enclose a self-addressed envelope with the proper postage
affixed to the entry. Entries not picked up at the close of the summer conference will be discarded.

All entries must be received by March 01, 2009. Send entries to:
Jan Ferris
MOWA Craft Awards Chairman
1583 E. Galien-Buchanan Rd.
Buchanan, MI 49107

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. Jay has given me a couple of suggestions, but I would
welcome more.


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:
A.) A single entry comprised of three (3) separate columns will be submitted for judging.
B.) Writers can submit only one (1) entry in each division - magazine and newspaper.
C.) 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.  

Questions may be directed to Jan Ferris (
jan.ferris@comcast.net or 269-695-1201).
Michigan Outdoor Writers Association. 2008