MARY KELLY UNSUNG HERO AWARD
Background to the unsung hero award
In June 1995, Carrick on Suir AOS and the South-West Region of AIMS jointly presented a magnificent crystal perpetual trophy in memory of their late Secretary, Mary Kelly. The trophy is awarded at the Awards Weekend each year to an Unsung Hero.
Mary Kelly was a stalwart of her society and her region for as long as anyone can remember and above all she was a true friend to everyone. It has been said of her: "Mary was a WORKER, quiet, diligent, scrupulous, conscientious, charitable, committed - often ruffling feathers in her
uncompromising striving for perfection, but never flinching from what was right, upright and honest.
No job was too big, no task too small, dull or time consuming. She wrote, typed, set agendas, kept minutes, marked booking charts, sold tickets, collected membership fees and organised a hundred and one things most want to forget or haven't thought of - the little things that made the difference, the big things that kept us all on the rails… an almost invisible rock in the midst of all storms… a silent powerhouse helping to keep our Society vibrant and alive". Yet through all this, she was never in the limelight, but she was always there in the background.
In many ways, Mary Kelly was an Unsung Hero in her own right, and to a large extent she epitomises the kind of person who is eligible for nomination for this award. Is there an Unsung Hero in your Society? Someone who does Trojan work, maybe taken for granted? It may be
a long-time member, or a newer member who really has done work over and beyond the call of duty.
RULES
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Nominations shall be made in the form of a citation, no longer than one typewritten A4 page telling in your own words why your nominee should be awarded the trophy - Any nominations without a citation shall not be considered.
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Each nomination must be accompanied with at least two different photographs of the person being nominated. These photographs can either be the person in action or portait style shots of the nominee. If you would like the photographs returned, please include a stamped addressed envelope. By submitting photographs, you are also granting AIMS permission to us the phototgraphs on its Website, Show Times and at the Annual Awards weekend, to promote this nomination. This permission is royalty free.
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Only bona fide, active memebers of musical societies affiliated to AIMS are eligible for nomination.
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Any member of a musical society may have a nomination.
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Not all nominations received will be short-listed for this award.
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An unsuccessful nominee may be nominated again in subsequent years.
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Winners of the Mary Kelly Trophy may not be nominated in subsequent years.
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The nomination form below must be counter signed by either the Chariman or Secretary of the Society.
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A judging panel shall be appointed by the AIMS National Council to shortlist nominations and decide upon the winner. This panel will consist of the Chariperson of each AIMS region plus an honorary life member of AIMS, and be charied by the President of AIMS. The decision of this judging panel is final.
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The Judging Panel will create a short-list of nominees.
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The Judging Panel will base their decision solely on the accompanying citation. They will be searching for the best nominees, which represent the true meaning of the unsung hero award.
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In the event of a tied result by the judging panel, the AIMS President shall have the casting vote.
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The shortlist of nominees will be announced along with the Adjudication Nominations in May. The winner will be announched at the Annual AIMS Awards Weekend in September.
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Closing date for receipt of nominations is 1st May 2020.