Several journalists who covered Prince Edward Island over the past year have been recognized with prestigious awards. Recently, in New York City, the Canadian Tourism Commission presented first-place Northern Lights prizes to Vermont-based journalist William G. Scheller and PEI photographer, John Sylvester. Scheller won in the Independent Journalist/Newspaper category for his entertaining story about a father-son bike trip from North Cape to East Point. Four Wheel Drive was published in the Washington Post Magazine last March, and another version of the story appears in the 2003 Prince Edward Island Visitors Guide.
John Sylvester's first-prize photography illustrated a feature article in Coastal Living, a glossy magazine published in the US. His dramatic images of the Island are well known to locals and are often seen in Tourism PEI publications. The Prince Charming story in Coastal Living has since been reprinted and is included in Tourism's vacation planning packages going to American inquirers.
"We are very proud of the accomplishments of both Mr. Sylvester for his exemplary photographic skills as well as our Island for its incredible photogenic qualities," noted Jeffrey Lantz, Minister of Tourism. "It is a true gift to be able to capture the very best attributes of the people and places of Prince Edward Island, and this type of exposure is sure to lure readers of the various magazines to our province."
Canada's 2002 "Northern Lights" tourism media competitions were judged by faculty at the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. Winners were selected from 190 entries submitted by newspapers, magazines, independent writers, Internet reporters and photographers.
In addition, the Midwest Travel Writers Association has presented Diana Lambdin Meyer with a first-place award in the magazine category of the 2002 Mark Twain Awards for her article "A Quilters Tour of Prince Edward Island." The article was published in the magazine The Quilter, and the judges say it takes the reader to a magical place while featuring one specific angle of its attractiveness to visitors. Meyer visited Prince Edward Island in 2002 and has since published several items on the province. In her words, "We did good, but we had a perfect subject!"
Copies of the Coastal Living article as illustrated by John Sylvester may be obtained at Tourism PEI's Distribution Centre or at the Department of Tourism office in the Shaw Building.