Named for my daughter Molly and son Noah, the Nolly Award will be an annual celebration of all that is good in the world. The Nolly recognizes people that have made a difference to me, and it’s a very public way of recognizing truly extraordinary people. Without further ado, we present the winners of the 2001 Nollys.
The envelopes, please…
Illustrator of the Year Nolly. Von Glitschka is an example of creative talent and heart. I met him through my Web site, about a year ago. When a very-small-budget project came up to benefit charity, Von said, “Peter, tell me what you need and when you need it, and I’ll take care of it.” Great guy, great work. I’ve never met him face to face.
The Lawyer Gets a Nolly. A lawyer? Helpful? Hate to shatter any preconceived notions, but I’ve found the guy. A former federal prosecutor who loves technology, Kris Keeney left the courtroom to start Digitalaw. A passionate reader, teacher, and sounding board, Kris is what being a great lawyer is all about.
A Channel Partner Nolly. We do business with lots of companies. We have partnerships with lots of companies. Through all the meetings and training, Jenny Brunz of Infowave is one of the most well prepared, professional people I’ve ever met.
The “Why Don’t Copy Editors Ever Get Any Love?” Nolly. I’ve been a copywriter for 20 years, and my name is always on the piece of copy. What readers never see is the role of the copy editor or proofreader. For the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Sarah Dowdey. Always there to offer a suggestion or an opinion, Sarah has a love of language and writing that is hard to find… and harder to keep. She has bailed me out of a few grammar scrapes in my time and is the absolute best at what she does. A big Nolly to you, Sarah.
The Undiscovered Artist Nolly. Did you ever find an artist who moves you? Makes you think? Makes you feel? Dana Wood is that guy. A combination of passionate artist and terrific family man makes him a very deserving winner of a Nolly. When he gets famous (and he will), remember where you heard about him first.
The Hero in the Trenches Nolly. Fay Lohr runs the Central Virginia Food Bank with a combination of determination and grace. Fay is one of the world’s truly good people. There has never been a better time to get involved with your local food bank. I’m sure you have Fays in your world — see what you can do to help them. Immediately.
Look around and see who you can really count on when the chips are down. The 3 a.m. friends. The colleagues who make the long hours and problems easier to deal with. As we’ve seen over the past few months, there are no guarantees and no promises — of a job… or anything else.
Give the best award of all — a heartfelt thank-you to the people in your personal and professional life who make a difference.
A special holiday thank-you to everyone who sends suggestions, column ideas, and criticism. Have a safe holiday season and remember, hire a freelancer and keep the creative community strong. I can be reached at [email protected].