2021 Beacon Award Winner
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The winner of the 2021 Beacon Society Award is Steve Mason.
The recommendation was submitted by Denny Dobry, BSI, past Head-Light of the Beacon Society: Steve recently retired after serving over 30 years of service with the US Environmental Protection Agency. During my term as Headlight of the Beacon Society, I witnessed firsthand the dedication Steve displayed to enable the Beacon Society achieve its goal of bringing Sherlock Holmes to our youth. During his six plus years, and counting, as the Beacon Society's Communication Chair, Steve has phenomenally improved and expanded the ability for the Beacon Society to get out its message to the Sherlockian community and in particularly to our youth: |
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- Upon taking his position as Communications Chair, Steve immediately renovated the Society's Website making it user-friendly and comprehensive. He continues to constantly update the site and expanding its features;
- To publicize the work of the Society, Steve compiled an extensive mailing list including Sherlockian Scion Societies, national education & teachers associations, national youth group associations, national library associations, and children's theatre groups & museums.
- As Communications Chair, Steve supervised the establishment of the Society's Facebook page which is maintained by his committee.
- On the Society' Website, Steve created a database of resources created by and for the use of educators to promote Sherlock Holmes in their programs.
- Also on the Website, Steve created the quarterly Sherlock's Spotlight Gazette in which youth are introduced to individual Holmes stories, unravel mazes, complete puzzles and word searches, learn about the junior Sherlockian Society, and learn of various forms of available Sherlockian entertainment.
- Steve conceived the Library Display Program. Sherlockian items are distributed to Sherlockians to enable them set up displays at their local libraries.
- Not directly involving the Beacon Society, Steve contributes to keeping the memory of the Master green to our youth:
- Steve is the co-creator, and producer of Baker Street Elementary, a cartoon strip depicting Holmes and his cronies when they attended elementary school. The weekly comic strip appears in Sherlock's Spotlight Gazette and on the I Hear of Sherlock Everywhere web-blog.
- Steve is in the habit of keeping a paperback copy of the HOUN with him when he goes out to eat. If he sees a youngster with their parents in the restaurant, he presents the book to the youngster, with the parents' permission, and encourages the youth to read it.
There is no doubt that Steve Mason is the 'Life Blood' of the Beacon Society and the youth movement.