Bill Draayer Award 1989

Given in recognition of outstanding personal contributions to the progress and development of the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association.

Peter Pickersgill

For more than 20 years Peter Pickersgill has devoted active, dedicated and enthusiastic service toward the betterment of the Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association and the fellowship of its members. For ten of those years he served as a director of AWNA. During that time he served on a number of committees, including the Advertising Committee, Chairman of the 1972 Convention Committee as well as chairman and host for a very successful Annual Golf Tournament at Vulcan.

Peter was elected president of AWNA in 1974. It was during this term of office that AWNA adopted the Blanket Classified Advertising program that has provided so much financial support for the establishment of the Association's Central Office and its promotion and publicity campaigns.

In 1976 he began several years of service as an Alberta representative on the CCNA Board of Directors. He also devoted his time and talents to the Alberta committee hosting the 1986 CCNA convention in Calgary.

Peter Pickersgill has always made himself available for a wide variety of 'immediate action' tasks when an effective and dependable volunteer was needed. His greatest strength in AWNA affairs has been his ability to see both sides of opposing viewpoints and find a middle-ground solution.

His outgoing personality and good humour have helped immeasurably to make all members feel they are an important part of the AWNA family.