By Surveyor Staff

Brenda Brandt presented the 2014 Editorial Writing award and the 2014 General Excellence award to Surveyor Publisher Becky Justice- Hemmann and Editor John Gardner.
Photo by Thomas Cooper lightboximages.com

The Berthoud Weekly Surveyor’s staff, writers and contributors were recognized at the 137^th Colorado Press Association Awards convention, Feb. 21, for its work in 2014 by receiving 29 awards.

The Surveyor received the night’s biggest honor in the Class II publication category; The General Excellence Award, along with the Editorial Excellence Award for receiving 27 individual editorial and advertising awards during the past year.

“I am so proud of everyone who contributes to the Surveyor. We have an outstanding staff and group of string writers; several have been with us for many years. The paper is definitely a team effort each week. Special thanks to Surveyor editor John Gardner for his hard work. Winning the editorial award indicates the quality of our news articles and stories. The General Excellence Award is especially gratifying because we compete against 41 newspapers in our circulation class,” said Becky Justice-Hemmann, publisher of the Surveyor.

The editorial staff took home 18 awards, with first-place awards in several categories including Best Sustained Coverage for “The Flood’s Aftermath,” covering the 2013 floods, Best Editorial Special Section, “Summer in Berthoud,” Best Agriculture Story, “Milking cuteness for all its worth,” and Best Series for the Surveyor’s three-part series on local Ukrainian orphans visiting their biological parents in Ukraine.

The Surveyor’s sports reporter, Dan Karpiel, is this year’s MVP with seven individual awards: a first place award for his column about Colorado Rockies’ retiring first baseman Todd Helton, four second and two third place awards for his coverage of Berthoud High School athletics.

In advertising categories, the Surveyor took home nine awards, including first place awards for Best Advertising Special Section “Summer in Berthoud,” as well as Best Circulation Promo and Best Advertising Slogan.

First place awards:

Sustained Coverage: The Flood’s Aftermath, John Gardner, Rudy Hemmann, Becky Justice-Hemmann, Bob McDonnell, Jan Dowker

Best Series: A trip to understand, and to forgive, John Gardner, Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer, Robin Ferruggia

Agriculture Story: Milking cuteness for all it’s worth, Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer

Sports Column: Seventeen years enough for Rockies No. 17, Dan Karpiel

Humor Column: Friending an ex, Debbie Draper

Advertising Special Section: Summer in Berthoud

Editorial Special Section: Summer in Berthoud

Best Advertising Slogan: “Here comes the son,” Becky Justice-Hemmann

Circulation promotion: Friday the 13^th newspaper subscriptions

Second place awards:

Sports Story: Kristina Cavey Player of the Year, Dan Karpiel

Sports Column: Broncos/patriots more than just Manning/Brady, Dan Karpiel

Sports Event Story: Spartans bit by Lions, Dan Karpiel

Education Story: Berthoud students all aboard the holiday express, John Gardner

Feature Story: A trip to understand, and to forgive, John Gardner

Deadline Reporting: The Flood’s aftermath, John Gardner, Rudy Hemmann, Becky Justice-Hemmann, Jan Dowker

Story/Photo combo: Rodeo Workout, May Soricelli, John Gardner

Agriculture Story: 4H kids receive high dollars, John Gardner

Headline writing: Lady Spartans show Vikings how to pillage and plunder, Dan Karpiel

Small Space Ad: Alyssa Law

Advertising Layout and Design: Becky Justice Hemmann, Diane Wells

Third place:

Sports Story: Armitage, Royer had dominant pitching season, Dan Karpiel

Health Story: Rodeo Workout, May Soricelli

Headline: Spartans sink Vikings’ ship, Dan Karpiel

Advertising Campaign: Brick Oven Pizzeria, Alyssa Law, Diane Wells

Black and White ad: Staff

Use of Color in an Ad: Brick Oven Pizza, Alyssa Law

Automotive Ad: B-Town, Alyssa Law