A clearly very surprised Shaun Pennington, founder, publisher and owner of the Virgin Islands Source online news publications, received the Person of the Year Award on Wednesday from Rotary Club II of St. Thomas.
Pennington said she was "pleased and thrilled" by the honor. The daily production of three interrelated news sites "totally is a group effort, and I accept this on behalf of all the 'Sourcers,' as we call them."
Rotarian Elliott "Mac" Davis made the presentation at a luncheon at Marriott's Frenchman's Reef Resort. Davis, an attorney, said the club began giving the annual award 21 years ago "to recognize someone who, through their words and deeds, has demonstrated their allegiance to the principle of service to others above service to self."
He described Pennington as "a writer by God-given talent" who trained in business management and public relations. For many years she has lent her support to a number of organizations, including the League of Women Voters, the St. Thomas-St. John Arts Council, the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce, the Ad Club of the Virgin Islands and the Friends of Fort Christian.
On Jan. 15, 1999, Pennington launched the St. Thomas Source. It was followed in July of that year by the St. Croix Source and, five months later, by the St. John Source.
"All three newspapers reach local readers looking for accurate, complete and unbiased news and insightful commentary about their home," Davis said. "And because they are electronic, these newspapers also instantly reach thousands of people around the world who also have a vested interest in keeping up with the news we make here. They are read faithfully by the major decision-makers in government and the private sector, in the territory, in the nation's capital and beyond."
Producing a daily newspaper with a very small staff means Pennington is on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day, Davis said. "Through these efforts, and countless other unheralded ones, she continues to uphold the standards of honesty, integrity, generosity of spirit and community commitment that we have come to expect," he said.
As usual, Davis teased his audience by withholding as long as possible any identifying information about the recipient of the award. Some Source staff hid in the room until Davis made the announcement.
Pennington was lured to the luncheon by Davis and her husband, Wally Bostwick, on the pretext that she was to accompany the "real" recipient, Penny Feuerzeig, former executive editor of the Virgin Islands Daily News and an adviser for the Source.
Upon learning she had won the award, Pennington joked, "Does this mean I don't have to write the story?"
Feuerzeig, who was in on the ruse, said after the presentation that she takes pride in Pennington's success.
Several of the past honorees and/or their family members, were on hand for the presentation, as guests of Rotary.
Previous persons of the year are: Wilbur "Bill" LaMotta, Albert Aubain, Gov. Roy Schneider, Costas Coulianos, Calvin Wheatley, Dr. Alfred Heath, Gov. Alexander Farrelly, Irvin "Brownie" Brown, Delegate Ron deLugo, Dilsa Capdeville, Athniel "Addie" Ottley, Judge Verne Hodge, Leona Bryant, Edward Thomas, Juel Molloy, Vinnie Mohanani, Sen. Lorraine Berry, Nick Pourzal, Randy Knight and John P. DeJongh Jr.
For the full text of the speech given by Davis as he presented Person of the Year Award to Source publisher Shaun A. Penningtonclick here.
