Two southeast weekly newspapers received special awards last Friday, June 7, during the Kansas Press Association’s (KPA) Awards of Excellence (AOE) Celebration.
Among the recipients was the staff of The Eureka Herald, as they received the Frank and Mamie Boyd Community Service Award.
The Frank and Mamie Boyd Community Service Award began in 1975 and is awarded in recognition of demonstrated service and dedication to the community in which the newspaper serves. The award is presented during the annual AOE celebration and is presented to the overall winner of the community service category of the AOE contest.
“Community service, going beyond the call of duty to serve readers, is one of the hallmarks of the Kansas newspaper industry,” stated KPA Director Emily Bradbury. “The Boyd Community Service Award recognizes the contributions made by a newspaper editor, publisher and staff to their community,” she continued.
entered the “Community Member of the Month” program as the community service project noting the following: “With hopes of bringing positive vibes to the community, Lo-Mar Drive-In and The Eureka Herald started a monthly feature that showcases the works of those that give back to the nearby communities, beginning in 2021. It is hoped that the positive vibes will multiply and we will see many “pay it forward. Now, in the fourth year, the community buy in is truly coming together.
Those being named “Community Member of the Month” are then up for the annual honor, which is voted on by the community.”
Accepting the Boyd Community Service Award was editor of The Eureka Herald, Robin Wunderlich and staff members Lexie Biering and Paige Blakley.
The Community Member of the Month program has recognized three people so far in 2024 and plan to name six more before the end of the year. Those wishing to nominate a community member of the month can do so by emailing Wunderlich at [email protected] or completing a nomination form at Lo-Mar Drive-In, the Eureka city water office or The Eureka Herald.
The second special award, named for Victor Murdock, long-time editor of the Wichita Eagle and the son of the Eagle’s founder, Marshall Murdock, recognizes Kansas reporters and editors who have brought important local issues to light. This year’s winner was Eric Meyer with the Marion County Record for its series of articles on the illegal raid on Aug. 11, 2023 and the aftermath.
The annual AOE celebration is for journalists across the state to gather to celebrate the outstanding achievements and remarkable contributions within our industry. “These awards represent the pinnacle of excellence, highlighting those who have demonstrated unparalleled dedication, innovation, and professionalism. Each winner has set a standard of brilliance that ins pires us all to strive for greater heights,” stated Bradbury.
The Eureka Herald won seven awards at the 2024 KPA AOE celebration. This year, journalists, photographers and designers from Iowa judged the KPA Awards of Excellence entries. The Eureka Herald competes in Division III, for newspapers with a weekly circulation between 1,001 and 1,500.
The Eureka Herald won three first-place awards, including one entry that claimed top honors in all divisions. For the community service project, “Community Member of Month,” The Herald claimed first place honors in all divisions.
The Eureka Herald also earned first place in Sports photo “Mutton Bustin’”( Division III) and Best Professional Service ad, “Cake Batter Batter (Division I-III), one second-place award for Best Agricultural Ad, SEK Mineral Ad (Division I-III) and three third-place awards: Spot News, accident (Divisions I-V); Best Professional Service Ad, State Farm (Division I-III) and Best Use of Color, Riverside Liquor (all divisions).
