We spoke with Sally and Tom Reeder, Sponsors of the Harrison Stephens Inspirational Feature Award.
What prompted you to begin sponsoring this award?
Tom: One of the things that prompted us to sponsor this award was the connection we feel with writers, which has been in our family for generations. Harrison Stephens (Sally’s dad) was a newspaperman and print journalist, I was a TV writer, and our daughter Jen is a journalist on digital and print platforms.
We want to encourage friends and colleagues in the writing profession and to make sure their exceptional work gets acknowledged.
Sally: And also, to create a legacy connected to my dad’s name.
For those who are considering applying for the Harrison Stephens Inspirational Feature Award, the best fit in this category are stories that have a personal touch… as stated in the description of this award, an article that highlights the human-canine bond.
Tom: A long time ago, Sally and I attended a wedding in which the bride and groom were both blind. They had met while they were at a training facility to be paired with their guide dogs. Those dogs were in the wedding, of course – the groom’s “best man” wore a bow tie; the bride’s “maid of honor” had on a veil.
Sally: That’s just one example of the sort of moving story we love to see given special recognition.
My dad was the kind of person who would pick the runt of the litter – he was a lover of all kinds of creatures. In fact, he once saved a pelican that was ensnared in fishing line. Harrison Stephens and his good heart would have fit right in with DWAA members.
DWAA thanks you for your sponsorship.