SEELEY LAKE – Each year the Montana Newspaper Association (MNA), a consortium of 83 news publications throughout the state, sponsors the Better Newspaper Contest. The goal of the contest is to encourage member newspapers to continually strive for excellence in their publications. Participants enter what they consider their best candidates in categories focused on writing, photography and advertising throughout the previous year. Seeley Swan Pathfinder won a gratifying number of awards in the 2021 contest placing just five points short of the Division 1 Excellence Award they won last year. This year that honor went to the Boulder Monitor.
As a weekly publication with a circulation of less than 1,250, Seeley Swan Pathfinder falls into the Division 1 category and competes against similar sized newspapers.
Pathfinder Editor Andi Bourne took first place in the Best Lifestyle Coverage category with her article, "Tuning our senses to the unintended consequences of face coverings." The article centered around an interview with Swan Valley School teacher Chris Mauldin who has a hearing impairment. The greater focus of the article was on how masks limit not only sound but also lip reading and other non-verbal facial clues which everyone uses to some extent to supplement auditory information when conversing.
The judge commented, "Intriguing piece on an aspect of the pandemic that I had not even considered. I learned a lot from this and have a new perspective because of it. Very well done!"
In addition, Bourne won a second place award in Best News Story category for "Avalanche Recovery" and third place in Best Sports Story, "Fisherman lands monster pike."
MNA has a separate category to reward clever headlines. Each participating newspaper submits three headlines. Bourne took a second place with her Community Coverage entries: "Building Community one step at a time" about the Amazing Walking Women of Condon; "Going with the flow for 20 years" about the 20-year anniversary of the Blackfoot Angler in Ovando; and "Local gym sweats closure, looks forward to reopening" about Optimal Fitness being required to close because of COVID.
The Pathfinder also won three awards for column writing. Betty Vanderwielen took second place in Best Column Writing for "Newly-minted words: doomsurfing and infodemic" in her Funky Phrase column. Dale Terrillion took third place in the same category for "Stop – Chat," about a lonely, elderly mountain man who had a sign in front of his out-of-the-way home, entreating people to come in and visit with to him. Terrillion's column is entitled "Out 'n the Woods Again." Rob Rich, one of the contributors to the on-going Place for All column garnered a second place in the Best Sports and Outdoors Column Writing category for "What happens when elk cross the road."
Nathan Bourne took all the photography awards for the Pathfinder. He received first place in the Best News Photo category with "Body recovered from Salmon Lake." The photo shows Search and Rescue members spaced out across the ice, one already in the hole created by a breakthrough. The photo is zoomed out enough to show open water disturbingly close to the hole as well as ambulance and police vehicles on the road above.
The judge commented, "Tells a story at a glance, but not without raising vital questions, like: Did anyone survive?"
In the Best Sports Photo category, Bourne received two awards. "Liam rides in O-Mok-See" gained a first place with the judge commenting, "The composition is ideal. The youngster's face and anticipation are priceless. [This is] the type of photo that stands out and grabs a reader's attention."
The other award, a third place, was entitled "Kovatch kills volleyball."
MNA advertising awards are divided into the sale of Merchandise or Services, each of those again divided into color or black and white. Andi Bourne and Zoie Koostra split a slew of advertising accolades and Brandy Wycoff added her first place to the mix.
According to the judge, Wycoff's ad for Montana Made Gallery 83, displayed "good use of color." The judge also praised Wycoff's size and placement of informational text.
Bourne won a first place in the Merchandise black and white category for her design for the Tamarack Resort Elopement Package. Two second place honors included a black and white Merchandise award for Glen's Automotive and a color Services award for the Filling Station Thanksgiving Dinner announcement.
Rounding out Bourne's successes were two third place Merchandise awards: a black and white ad for Tamaracks Resort Romantic Getaway, a color ad for Chicken Coop Fair Food, and second place in the Best Sponsor Page category 2020 Winter Fun.
Koostra interned with the Pathfinder during the summer of 2018. In 2021, thanks to a Facebook grant, the Bournes contracted with her to do design work. Proving that hiring her was a good decision, Koostra took first place in a black and white Services promotion for Red Rover Chimney Sweep. The ad showed smoke billowing from a small log cabin with "Is Your Chimney Safe to Burn?" in a grunge font.
The judge commented, "I love how you used the smoke from the chimney to enhance the layout and make the ad stand out on the page."
Koostra also picked up two third place recognitions: a Merchandise color ad for Seeley Swan Events and a Services black and white for Provost Electric.
In addition, Koostra worked with Tom Browder to create a consistent brand for his political run. That included a series of ads in the Seeley Swan Pathfinder. Her efforts won her third place in the Best Marketing Campaign category.
Capping off her wins, Koostra took first place for Best Graphic. Accompanying part three of "Surveying Social Media Series - How Internet crimes continue to move faster than the law," the graphic consisted of a clip art fish, with an envelope superimposed on it, swimming toward a hook. The wording, "Phishing" and "Don't take the Bait!" was written above and below it.
The judge commented, "I think the concept is pretty clever. Nice piece of art to illustrate the piece."
MNA also has a category to inspire members to find creative ways to promote their own papers. Nathan Bourne took first place for his tongue-in-cheek Promotional Ad, "Pathfinder Toilet Paper Available April 1!" The ad was an April Fool's joke poking fun at the nationwide run on toilet paper during the pandemic. Considered "creative, funny and lighthearted" by the judge, the graphic had rolls of toilet paper with the Pathfinder name and logo across each. Alongside were various supposed selling points such as "made in Montana," "12 rolls per issue," "100% recycled," "not recommended for septic systems." The bottom text, beginning with "If you prefer to receive your newspaper the old-fashioned way..." gave pricing and contact information.
And last, but certainly not least, both Andi and Nathan Bourne shared first place recognition for creating Division One's Best Website.
According to the judge, "The winning [entry] had plenty of fresh content and made good use of photos."
For current news as well as archived files containing these award winning stories and photos, check out the Seeley Swan Pathfinder website at seeleylake.com.
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