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The 2001 Mortensen Award
2001 Affirmation Conference, Long Beach, California
October 2003
The Mortensen Award was established, under the direction of Ron Kershaw, in 1987. It was decided the award would be given annually to the one individual who had given outstanding service and leadership to Affirmation. It is the only continuing award Affirmation presents and it tries to recognize the best people in the organization. The past recipients are:
The selection committee for the award is composed of past recipients. Each year, around July, a call is sent out to all Affirmation leaders, chapters and groups asking for nominations. Anyone may nominate any individual or you may even nominate yourself. The receipt of nomination letters constitutes the only people considered for the award.
The award was established and intended to always be an award for service to Affirmation. This is the only consideration in the selection of the recipient. We greatly applaud those wonderful souls in our midst who also make great contributions to the gay and lesbian community at large. We especially applaud those people who have made outstanding efforts in the Mormon community through related groups such as Family Fellowship, Gamofites and others in increasing the understanding of the gay and lesbian Mormon community.
But because the Mortensen Award is intended to honor only service and leadership to Affirmation, the winner is decided totally on the merits of the nomination letters received and the contributions to Affirmation as spelled out in those letters.
From the official announcement read at the 2001 Affirmation Conference
in Long Beach
Remarks by Alan Blodgett:
I have the great honor of introducing the recipient of the 2001 Mortensen Award for outstanding leadership and service to Affirmation. Ricky Gilbert has introduced the outstanding people, Ben Jarvis and Olin Thomas, who are runners-up for the award. Each
of them is more than worthy of receiving this award. However, there was the nomination of one individual who stands out in a singular way.
There are twelve different and diverse committee members that have a vote in the selection of the recipient of this award. The individual selected was the obvious choice for this year. No discussion and no debate was required. This person was selected on the first vote.
The Mortensen Award Committee selects the recipient based on the following criteria:
- Someone who is dedicated to the goals of Affirmation and has worked toward achieving them.
- Someone who has shown outstanding leadership and service.
- Someone who is a self-starter and motivator of others.
- Someone who is making a difference in the lives of others.
This individual has spoken out loud and clear in support of Affirmation, urging all who would listen and respond to become involved in our important work. He is a natural leader who has demonstrated an ability to make things happen and get people involved. Even more important, he creates an aura of excitement about being a part of the Affirmation family.
He is to be admired for his intellect. He is filled with ideas. Some of his ideas work, and
some are ahead of their time. Many have been instituted.
- He was the originator of the cornerstone concept.
- He promoted he establishment of the Youth Program.
- He was the originator of the Endowment Fund.
- He was prime in initiating the Writing Awards Contest.
- He reactivated the Chapter-At-Large. He established on-line chat sessions for all interested persons.
- He began a program of responding to comments on the web site.
This individual has shown us that a gay man can
- be a loving and responsible Father
- Can enter into a meaningful and lasting relationship with a beloved companion.
- Can balance service to Affirmation with heavy professional responsibility.
- Can hold to our Mormon heritage even though we may feel rejected by the church.
- Can be proud to be gay and lead a happy life.
This individual was one of the founders of Gamofites, an affiliated organization that supports Gay Mormon Fathers. This tribute wouldn't be complete without mentioning his extraordinary story talents. It is with honor that we give the 2001 Mortensen Award for outstanding leadership and service to that friend to us all, now in his fourth term as Executive Director, Scott MacKay.
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© 1996-2008 Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons
www.affirmation.org
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