Jack London Award
The purpose of the Jack London Service Award is to honor a branch member whose service to the CWC and/or a branch has been exemplary. Each branch may select one award recipient bi-annually. The award is presented at the annual meeting of statewide representatives.
2011 Recipient
Lani Longshore, a founding member of the CWC Tri-Valley Branch, has been a vibrant and vital part of the branch since its charter in 2006. She has continuously been on the board, first serving as secretary and then as treasurer, even though she’s the first to admit that she hates to balance her checkbook. The following year she was a dynamic president who brought humor and snippets about writing to every meeting. Lani chairs the anthology committee and maintains the website. Her endless enthusiasm for the branch and the welfare of its members is like an everlasting beacon of light.
In her personal life, Lani has been a quilter for over twenty years. She writes quilting musical comedy, sings and dances as part of the two-person Broken Dishes Repertory Theater, and is writing a science fiction novel – Death by Chenille – about quilters saving the world. Her endless desire to share her quilting knowledge with others takes her to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin twice a month to teach quilting to inmates. When she isn’t writing or quilting, you can find Lani practicing karate . Watch out, she’s a third-degree black belt!
It is with much appreciation and our sincere thanks that the CWC Tri-Valley Branch recognizes Lani Longshore for her outstanding service to the branch and presents her with the Jack London Award for exemplary service.
2009 Recipient
On November 8, 2009, the CWC Tri-Valley Branch honored Kathy Urban with the Jack London Award. Kathy has been a pillar of the Tri Valley Branch since its beginning. She was the first newsletter editor, second president, and first (and current) representative to the Central Board. After the untimely death of founding president Sue Tasker, Kathy not only shouldered the burden of leading the branch, but also of helping the club to grieve and recover. Kathy was the prime mover in establishing the Sue Tasker Memorial Service Award to recognize a member for significant service to the Tri-Valley Branch.
Kathy has also been instrumental in bringing structure as well as unity to the club. She developed a survey that we use each year to get feedback from branch members. She has been an ardent supporter of regular public readings of club members’ work, our Literary Evening. She is currently co-chair of the committee working to publish a club anthology, a project dear to her heart since the branch’s inception. Most recently, she coordinated the redesign of the Tri-Valley Branch website and provided the content for the web pages. The Central Board has benefited by her organizational skills since 2008, when she became the Central Board treasurer. In addition, as CWC NorCal representative, she has helped to establish a speakers’ list that all northern California branches can share.
Kathy writes for a variety of markets but most enjoys writing for children. Her recent and forthcoming publications include articles, features, crafts, and poems in Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty’s Magazine, Spider, Babybug, and Fandangle Magazine. She’s been a correspondent for two local newspapers, the Danville Times and the Pleasanton Times. She did extensive editorial work on the 2001 award-winning California Fresh Harvest cookbook and has written numerous articles about the Philippines for Inklings Magazine. Kathy was editor of the Tri-Valley Branch’s newsletter, Write Around the Valley, for two years and currently serves at the Tri-Valley Branch treasurer.
Sue Tasker Memorial Service Award
2010 Recipient
Lani Longshore, Maureen Boyd-Biro, Kate Tasker
On June 19, 2010, Tri-Valley Writers honored Maureen Boyd-Biro with the Sue Tasker Memorial Service Award. Maureen has been involved with the club since its beginning, most recently as Program chair. Maureen’s many contacts in the writing and publishing world enabled her to bring exciting, informative speakers to our fledgling chapter, helping us to attract new members and establish the branch as an important part of the local arts community. Maureen is a charter member of the Tri-Valley branch, and of the Mt. Diablo branch as well. She has a long and varied career in writing and publishing, including being a columnist, children’s book author and memoirist.
This service award is dedicated to the memory of Sue Tasker, charter member and first president of Tri-Valley Writers. Her daughter, Kate Tasker, presented the award to Maureen at the June meeting.
The CWC Tri-Valley Branch started the Sue Tasker Memorial Service Award in 2008 as a way to honor the memory of Sue Tasker, the founding president and a volunteer extraordinaire. Sue has been described by members as “doing the work of three people.” She started the Tri-Valley Branch in 2006 and grew the organization to the vibrant, successful branch that it is today. She displayed an endless passion and drive for the Tri-Valley Branch in her two years as president and then as vice president and program chair. Sue’s warm and friendly nature lit up every meeting and event.
2008 Recipient
Kathy Urban, Fred Norman, Michael Tasker
In June 2008 the CWC Tri-Valley Branch honored Fred Norman with the first Sue Tasker Memorial Service Award. Fred has been a phenomenally dedicated member of the branch. He’s a charter member and filled numerous roles throughout the years, starting with the all-important role of treasurer. He’s also been the emcee at our Literary Evening but not just emcee. He educates attendees with tidbits of writing information sprinkled throughout the event, and he charms us with his humor. When we’ve been short-handed at meetings, he’s stepped in and sold tickets for the door prizes, and he’s also been a “greeter” at our meetings. Fred also takes your meeting reservation. Because he has always done it so seamlessly, thoroughly, and patiently, he’s known as the “Reservation King.”
In honor of his outstanding service to the CWC Tri-Valley Branch, Fred Norman was the first recipient of the Sue Tasker Memorial Service Award.