The Grand Bend Strip leads all community newspapers in Ontario with eight nominations for this year’s Ontario Community Newspaper Awards, including best overall paper (a first for the paper) and photographer of the year for Casey Lessard, a two-time runner-up for this award. The paper also recently won two national awards, first prize ad design and third for photo essay in the Canadian Community Newspapers Association Better Newspapers Competition.
The top three OCNA entrants were announced March 1. The Parry Sound North Star has the second most nominations with seven. Winners will be announced at the OCNA’s annual conference in Toronto May 14. CCNA winners were announced March 15 and will receive their awards May 13 at the CCNA conference.
To learn more about the Grand Bend Strip’s history of awards since its first publication in May 2007, visit https://grandbendstrip.com/about/awards.
The Grand Bend Strip and publisher Casey Lessard are nominated in the following categories:
Canadian Community Newspapers Association
Best Ad Design (circulation up to 3,999)
1st place – Casey365.com – ad promoting website
Runners-up: The Chief (Squamish, BC), Wainwright Review (Wainwright, AB)
Best Photo Essay (circulation up to 3,999)
3rd place – Five days of good, clean fun – Parkhill Five Fun Days
Winner: The Provost News (Provost, AB)
Ontario Community Newspapers Association
General Excellence (best overall)
Class 1 [under 2,000 circulation]
Other nominees: Cobden Sun, Manotick Messenger
Photographer of the Year
Casey Lessard
Other nominees: Belleville EMC and Peterborough This Week
Education Writing
Chicago! – SHDHS music trip
Other nominees: Parry Sound Beacon Star and Richmond Hill/Thornhill Liberal
Best Photo Layout
Five days of good, clean fun – Parkhill Five Fun Days
Other nominees: Ajax/Pickering News Advertiser and North York Mirror
Best Feature Photo (circ under 9,999)
Best Seat in the House – Dashwood soap box derby cover photo
Other nominees: Aylmer Express and Bracebridge Examiner
Best Sports Photo
Hockey Night in Zurich – Mark Buruma in dressing room
Other nominees: Brampton Guardian and Mount Forest Confederate
Best Rural Story (circ under 9,999)
Fields of Gold – Marcus Koenig, potato farmer
Other nominees: Listowel Banner and New Hamburg Independent
Best Creative Advertising (circ under 9,999)
Casey365.com – ad promoting website
Other nominees: Mount Forest Confederate and Nunavut News/North