Besides the Maggie Award For Excellence in writing, Georgia Romance Writers recognize members who have excelled in the areas of service, mentorship, or advocacy for the romance genre.

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The Sandra Chastain Volunteer Service Award 

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This award is named after chapter founder and all around amazing woman, Sandra Anglin Chastain. Short-term hard work doesn’t earn the award, but rather a body of hard work over a long period of time accompanied by enduring love for GRW. In order to earn this award, a member must meet the following criteria:

• Have been a member for a minimum of three years

• A recipient can’t have already earned the award (except for Sandra herself who has earned it twice!)

• Immediate past presidents are ineligible

• Must be a member in good standing of GRW

The Sandra award is given at the Maggie Ceremony during the Moonlight and Magnolia’s Conference after having been voted on by a special committee.

Committee Voting Requirements:

• Former recipients of the award serve on the committee.

• Must be members in good standing with GRW.

• Only members in good standing who meet the eligibility requirements shall be notified that the selection process has begun.

• Must attend at least 3 meetings per year or 2 meetings and M&M attendance (so as to be aware of who is volunteering).

Voting is done by secret ballot, and the results will be kept secret with only the committee chairperson and co-chair aware of the final results.
Maximum number of awards per year—no more than 3.

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PAST WINNERS

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The Nancy Knight Mentorship Award 

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The purpose of the Nancy Knight Mentorship Award is to recognize published GRW members who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to aid unpublished members on the road to publication.  This award is given in the spirit of Nancy Knight, who has given so generously of her time to mentor countless GRW members.

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Criteria for the Nancy Knight Mentorship Award:

• This award will be given to a PAN-eligible published author from GRW who

• Is in good standing with GRW

• Devotes time to those who are unpublished

• Offers help on a broad range of topics from craft issues to industry questions

• Encourages unpublished authors on the road to publication

• This person has probably done some or all of the following: answer e-mail from unpublished members, present workshops, judge the unpublished Maggie Awards, offer one-on-one critiques, participate in the Gin Ellis workshop, participate in the Q & A before Chapter meetings

The PRO Liaison will give a call for nominations for the Nancy Knight Award at some point 60 days before the annual Moonlight & Magnolias Conference. At this time, nominations are being taken. Please send an e-mail that includes your nominee and an explanation of why you think that person should win this year’s Nancy Knight Mentorship Award.

 

Any general member in good standing may submit a nomination to emilysewell77@gmail.com

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The Nancy Knight award is given at the Maggie Ceremony during the Moonlight and Magnolias Conference after nominations have been made by any member in good standing with GRW.

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PAST WINNERS

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Chapter Service Awards

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This award is given to members who have put time and effort into GRW during the nominating year. The award is voted on by the membership at large via a secret ballot. The only criteria for this award is outstanding service to GRW in a volunteer capacity.

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PAST WINNERS

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The Verum Award

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The Verum Award may be given annually for the article, in print, or other medium, circulated in Region 3 (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV) that best depicts the romance genre in a positive light. Articles may be dated from June 2nd of the previous year to May 31st of the current year. The award, an engraved plaque, is presented at Moonlight and Magnolias. The award is given by a committee chaired by the GRW Historian.

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PAST WINNERS

• 2018 – Nicki Salcedo