This report in three voices details the awards announced at the conference and convention banquet on Saturday, April 8, 2017.

Mike Keithley, Publications Committee

Two awards are annually given for the best Lifestyle and Issue and Advocacy-oriented writings. Usually these are published in the Blind Californian, but they could be published elsewhere.

This year, Sylvia (Sugar) Lopez received the Issues and Advocacy award for "Dining in the Dark," published in the winter, 2016 BC. She's in the Fresno chapter, and her article described their successful Dining in the Dark Event.

Susan Kitazawa received the Lifestyle award for "What Would You Do If You weren't Afraid," published in the fall, 2016 BC. She belongs to the San Francisco chapter, and her article asserts that we might do much more with our lives if we weren't generally struggling with fear.

This year the Publications Committee initiated a New Writer Award aimed at encouraging first-time writers to submit material to the Blind Californian. Maureen Schultz received it for "13 Reasons I Enjoy Being Blind," spring, 2016, a very entertaining read. King talked to gophers he knows, but no one knows which chapter she is in.