We have something to brag about here at The Reminder – six things, actually.
The paper cleaned up at last week’s Manitoba Community Newspaper Association (MCNA) Better Newspaper Competition Awards, winning six separate awards and placing on the podium nine times.
The Reminder earned a clean sweep in the major awards in its circulation class, winning awards for Best in Class, Best Editorial Page, Best Layout and Design and Best Front Page. The paper earned 855 judges’ points out of 1000 in the Best in Class category in its circulation class, ahead of the Killarney Guide’s 755 and the 575 points earned by the Boissevain Recorder.
In the Best All Round Newspaper category, The Reminder finished third of four publications, each of which had won the Best in Class award for their circulation classes.
The Reminder has won the Best in Class award in its circulation class four out of the past five years, claiming the title in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Reporter Eric Westhaver’s work also won two individual awards and four overall podium finishes.
Westhaver won the Best Feature Story for “From trees to tunes – craftsman builds violins from local woods”. Originally published in the June 20 issue of the paper, the story delves into the work of local luthier Alastair Callegari, who builds violins and similar string instruments from a variety of woods, including willow and spruce from near his cabin.
As well, Westhaver won an award in the Best Sports Story category for “Flin Flon says farewell to ‘Jonny Doogs’”, which chronicles the doings of now-relocated Bomber superfan Jonathan “Jonny Doogs” Dougall. The story was published in The Reminder's August 29 issue.
Westhaver also received a second-place finish in the Photographer of the Year category and third in the Best Historical Story category for his profile on dogsled racer and Olympic bronze medallist William “Shorty” Russick.
The honours bring the number of awards won by The Reminder this year to nine, along with 13 total podium finishes. In April, The Reminder received awards at the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association (SWNA) Better Newspaper Awards, winning the Best Overall Paper and Best Editorial Page honours in its circulation class. Westhaver won an award for Best Health Coverage.
