COLUMBIA, S.C. (BP)–More than 70 Baptist Communicators Association members attended the annual workshop and awards ceremony March 28-30 in Columbia, S.C.
Highlights of the event included Christian comedian Dennis Swanberg’s opening night appearance and a luncheon at one of the nation’s top zoos, Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens, with executive director Satch Krantz outlining his marketing strategy for the multi-million-dollar tourist attraction in Columbia.
The workshop featured various professional development seminars on marketing, advertising and websites, which also gave BCA members opportunities to build relationships. “I enjoyed getting to know people that are in the same field [and] deal with the same kind of budgets, deadlines and personalities,” said Melissa Mann, graphic designer for Union University, Jackson, Tenn.
The workshop concluded with the annual awards banquet, where seven members received grand prizes. The prizes and the winners were:
— Arthur S. Davenport Award in Public Relations — Kentucky Baptist Convention communications department.
— M.E. Dodd Award in Electronic Media — Scott Collins and Russell Dilday, Buckner Baptist Benevolences in Texas.
— Frank Burkhalter Award in News Writing — Mark Wingfield, Texas Baptist Standard.
— Leonard Holloway Award in Feature Writing — Sherri Brown of Atlanta.
— Fon H. Scofield Award in Publication Photography — Denise McGill, International Mission Board.
— Albert McClellan Award in Print Media and Design — Baylor University office of public relations.
— M.E. Dodd Award in Emerging Technology — Paul E. Huse, Missouri Baptist College.
In a business session, BCA members approved a lifetime membership for Ferrell Blankenship, who retired last year after 17 years as broadcast services director for the Mississippi Baptist Convention.
Members also approved a bylaw change to add the position of president-elect to the officers. The change was made to facilitate continuity in the organization from year to year.
Diane Reasoner, communicators director for the Georgia Baptist Convention, was elected president. Other officers are Tim Yarbrough, Missouri Baptist Convention, serving in the newly created office of president-elect; Denise Withers, Kentucky Baptist Convention, program vice president; Terry Barone, California Southern Baptist Convention, and Mark Wyatt, California Southern Baptist, program vice presidents-elect; Scott Vaughan, South Carolina Baptist Convention, membership vice president; Tanya Dawson*, Woman’s Missionary Union, missions vice president; Terri Lackey, LifeWay Christian Resources, awards chair; Jim Edminson, Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, professional development coordinator; Ken Camp, Baptist General Convention of Texas, treasurer; Stacey Hamby, Missouri Word&Way, newsletter editor; and Chip Turner, FamilyNet, historian.
The BCA’s $1,000 Al Shackleford/Dan Martin Undergraduate Scholarship was divided and awarded to two students. They are Jennifer Baird, a junior English/communication major at Missouri Baptist College, St. Louis, and Emily Dockrey, a junior journalism/mass communication major at Samford University, Birmingham, Ala.
Rachel Zhang received the $500 Al Shackleford/Dan Martin Graduate Scholarship, and Laura Giminez received the $1,000 Alan Compton/Bob Stanley Minority and International Scholarship.
Professional scholarships of $250 each went to Debbie Moore, a freelance writer from Charleston, W. Va., and Robin Parrish, media services coordinator, Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee.
As a mission project, BCA members raised $300 and donated items such as diapers and GED books to Christian Women’s Job Corps of the Midlands and Columbia Metro Association multi-housing ministry.
The 2002 BCA workshop will be April 4-6 in Louisville, Ky.
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*Name changed for security concerns.
