Winner winner, but no chicken dinner

Warning: not-so-humble brag post.

I'm so proud to announce that I have been honored with four awards from the Society of Professional Journalists San Diego Pro chapter for work produced in 2019. 

My Off the Mapp Food, Beverage and Travel Blog — a 12 year-long passion project that shares recipes and adventures from around the world — received a first place plaque in the Digital Division Blog category. The judges said "This type of blog has all the makings of a great travel resource. Mapp writes with a level of authority and credibility that can inspire all sorts of wanderlust."

Of course because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were unable to gather in person for our annual celebratory event and to mingle with other media professionals. So last weekend our SPJ board distributed the awards drive-through window-style on the San Diego State University campus. I got to see some friendly, masked faces, handout well-deserved awards, and pick up the awards of my own. 

Even without a plate of butternut squash ravioli (my usual SPJ banquet choice) or the chicken, it was inspiring to read through this year's list of winners and revisit the amazing work they produced. 

Congratulations go out to all of the other award recipients!

First Place: Daily Reporting and Writing Division — Health Story

"The Invisible Illness: Caring for Children with Epilepsy”
(The San Diego Union-Tribune)

What the judges had to say: "Children's diseases so often have deleterious effects not just on their anatomy, but their emotional well-being. This writer successfully peeked into the mind of a child—no easy feat—which can do wonders in eradicating the stigma."

First Place: Digital Division — Blog

“Off the Mapp Food, Beverage and Travel Blog”

Second Place: Nondaily Reporting and Writing Division — Food Story
“A Good Gut Feeling: Fermentation, Food Are Focus of Encinitas Event”
(North Coast Current)

Second Place: Nondaily Reporting and Writing Division — Investigative/Enterprise Story (Single Subject)
“$44 Million Spent on San Diego Bus Rapid Transit Route That Isn’t Rapid”
(inewsource)