Beacon/Gasparilla Island Magazine staff brings home 15 awards

The Boca Beacon/Gasparilla Island Magazine staff attended the Florida Press Association and Florida Magazine Association awards ceremony last Friday, July 21 at The Westin in Sarasota and came home with 15 awards.

Out of more than 1,200 entries in the Florida Press Association “Better Weekly Newspaper” contest, our little newspaper took nine awards. Editor Marcy Shortuse took a first and second place in the “Serious Column (Sally Latham Memorial Award) category for two editorials – one titled “A thank you to you, in a very big way” and one titled “We have it in our power to begin the world all over again.” She received  a second place in the “Hurricane Feature Story” category with a piece called “Feeding the Hungry,” a second place in the “Photo Series in One Issue” category in tandem with photographer Len Tatko for “Around the Town,” a third place in the “Feature Story: Non-Profile” category for a story called “Where is Sophie?”, a third place in the “Hurricane Coverage: General News Story” category for a piece called “We knew it would be bad, but … ouch,” a third place in tandem with Boca Beacon Art Director Daniel Godwin in the “Special Issue, Section or Supplement” category for “Tarpon Times” and a third place in the “Best Headline” category for the story, “This may be our slice of paradise, but putting it back together will be no piece of cake.”

Guest writer Elaine Skypala took a second place in the “Arts, Entertainment and Review Reporting” category with her story, “Staging an outdoor production vs. COVID and Mother Nature.” 

At the Florida Magazine Association “Charlie” awards the staff received six awards. Art Director Matthew Gutman took a second place in the “Best Photography: Single Department Image” category for his photo of Bocahenge at night with the Milky Way displayed, and a second place in the “Best Advertisement: Self Promotion” category. Photographers Matthew Gutman, Dusty Hopkins and H Wetzel took a second place in the “Best Photography: Photo Essay Series” for their Hurricane Ian coverage. Guest photographer Robert Dreverman took a third place in the “Best Photography: Single Department Image” category for his picture of the beached sailboat.

Editor Marcy Shortuse received a third place award for “Best Writing: Editorial/Commentary/Opinion” for an editor’s letter and a third place for “Best Photography: Photo Essay Series” for her photos in the Fort Ogden Cemetery story.