Media Spirit Award

The Club Fat Ass Media Spirit Award (also known as the "Porker Plaque") is intended to recognize the media outlet (print, radio, television) that demonstrates the most "spirit" at a designated Club Fat Ass event.

What:

The award roams from event to event. Two Club events each year will be nominated as media spirit events by the Club Steering Committee. The award was created and awarded for the first time in October 2006. Click on the links at the bottom of this page for background on the winners.

Who:
To be eligible, the winner(s) must work for the media. The role can be reporter, but it can also be reception, advertising sales, administration or any other role within the company.

How:

Judging is done by a the Club Fat Ass Steering Committee based on a complex algorithm that measures "spirit".

What is "spirit"?

It can mean participation. For example, a radio station sends it's whole staff to the event. It can mean enthusiasm, as in eagerness to try a trail run for the first time or wearing a costume or being just plain keen about being at the event. It can mean promoting the values of Club Fat Ass by demonstrating good sportsmanship, environmental friendliness and inclusiveness.

Background on the Trophy

The idea for this award came from Peter Parrish, the Chair of the CFA Steering Committee. Thanks to everyone on the Steering Committee for distributing the challenge to their friends and associates in the media. Terry Mullen, a retired lawyer, hockey player, woodworker and friend of the Club crafted the wooden plaque from cherry and oak. Johanna Jackson contributed her piggy bank, and her Dad sprayed it gold and glued it to the base.

2006 Media Spirit Challenge at Wendy's Get Your Fat Ass Off The Couch

Congratulations to the North Shore News for winning the Club Fat Ass Media Spirit Award. The inaugural competition was held at Wendy's "Get Your Fat Ass Off the Couch" runs on 21 October 2006.

Meghan Jones and Hector Diakow were running for the Capilano Courier newspaper. Mike Wakefield and Jordan Back, a previous top finisher in the event, represented the North Shore News.

It was a very tough call for the judges. The Capilano Courier and North Shore News both were both represented by the same number of enthusiastic runners. Since Meghan and Hector were new runners and boasted a total of 6 hours sleep prior to the run, they were inching ahead, even though Jordan had bonus points for having broken a rib on the trail in an Contest - Media Spirit Award 2006 earlier running of "Wendy's" and still came back for more.

Contest - Media Spirit Award 2006 Hector showed up at the finisher party, which gave the Courier additional spirit points. However, Mike Wakefield got double spirit points for the pile of trash he picked up during the run and the bouquet of fall leaves he presented to his host, Wendy Montgommery, after the run. The judges called it a tie coming into the finish.

The tie-breaker came in the form of Mick Maguire who, although unable to run for the North Shore News team, came out to set up Contest - Media Spirit Award 2006 an aid station for the benefit of all runners. Now *that's* media spirit! Mick cinched the award and the Porker Plaque trophy for the North Shore News.

On behalf of the Club Fat Ass Steering Committee, Wendy Montgommery and the Club Fat Ass members, congratulations to all participants and we hope to see you all out at the next Club Fat Ass Media Challenge!