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Doukhobor Historical
Series Wins Premier Award
For Immediate Release –
October 2,
2009
Years of hard work and a sincere dedication to the task at hand paid off in a
big way for Doukhobor writer and historian Jonathan J. Kalmakoff. Recently,
Kalmakoff received provincial recognition for his work through the Saskatchewan
Weekly Newspaper Association’s (SWNA) Better Newspaper Competition Premier
Awards for 2009.
Kalmakoff alongside Anne Sanderson of the Wadena News received a first place
award for Best Saskatchewan Cultural Story of the Year for their documentary
series Their Story, chronicling the history of the Doukhobor settlement at
Kylemore, Saskatchewan.
Published from July 9 to August 20, 2008 in the Wadena News, the five-part
series examined the Kylemore colony from its early settlement and development,
communal life and organization, to the eventual demise of the Doukhobor
Community and break-up of the colony. The series has drawn a host of comments
from both Doukhobor descendants as well as members of the general public who
were pleased to see this little-known piece of history recorded.
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(r-l) Jonathan J. Kalmakoff and Anne Sanderson accept SWNA Premier
Award for Best Saskatchewan Cultural Story of the Year. |
It is the first time Kalmakoff has received such recognition for his work, which
is done entirely voluntarily out of true passion for the history of his
ancestors and he said it is a moment he will never forget.
“I felt it was vital to document the Kylemore and surrounding area's strong
Doukhobor heritage and chronicle their important contribution to its historic
development", said Kalmakoff. "It was a wonderful opportunity to work with Anne
Sanderson and share their story through the Wadena News. It is gratifying indeed
to have our efforts recognized and appreciated."
For Sanderson, recording the area’s history is her true passion and she could
not be happier that the history in the Wadena News readership area is receiving
provincial recognition.
“Anytime we can record area history it is a benefit for future generations, but
this series was an extra special journey for Wadena News. Working alongside an
historian like Jonathan Kalmakoff was an honour for me – he inspired me to dig
beyond the surface and get the whole story for our readers,” she said.
“This series provides the reader with a fascinating unsolved mystery, a powerful
highlight of a prominent Saskatchewan cultural group, as well as insight into
the importance of heritage preservation to cultural groups in the province,”
noted the Alberta guest judge who evaluated the series. “The writers have
engaged in extensive research of both the past and present, drawing significant
connections between the two.”
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| Wadena News July 9, 2009 cover
featuring Their Story series. |
The award was presented at the annual SWNA convention held September 18-19, 2009
in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
The SWNA is an association that represents weekly newspapers across
Saskatchewan. Its 87 member newspapers connect with over 500,000 readers across
Saskatchewan and not only reflect life in the communities they serve, they are a
central part of Saskatchewan's unique lifestyle.
The SWNA encourages excellence by sponsoring an annual provincial competition,
the Better Newspaper Competition Awards, to celebrate the achievements of its
member newspapers. Newspapers compete against other newspapers for Premier
Awards in such categories as editorial, photography, advertising and special
promotion. In addition, newspapers compete in the General Excellence
Competition, which recognizes newspapers for the best Editorial Page, Best Front
Page and Best All-round Newspaper.
For general inquiries about the SWNA or the Better Newspaper Competition Awards, visit the SWNA website at:
http://www.swna.com/. For more information
about the Kylemore Doukhobor settlement, visit the Doukhobor Genealogy Website
at: www.doukhobor.org.
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