We wrote about this a little yesterday, but here's more details on Saturday's night's great event in Northbrook. Plan next year to attend. From Sam Adams Alliance:
The ideals of our Founding Fathers were celebrated this evening as over 300 people attended the 2nd Annual Sammies Awards at the Marriott Renaissance North Shore in Northbrook, Illinois. Sponsored by the Sam Adams Alliance, the Sammies recognizes and rewards every day people for their activism in support of individual liberty and economic freedom.
“Citizen Activism is alive and well in our great country,” said Sam Adams Alliance President, John Tsarpalas. “Tonight we recognized and rewarded the tireless efforts of every day people who are involved in the political process. The cornerstone of our democracy is an involved citizenry and this evening, with the help of some of our nation’s most prominent defenders of liberty, we honored these fine individuals.”
Joining the Sam Adams Alliance to honor the citizen watchdogs were best-selling author Michelle Malkin, John Fund and Stephen Moore of the Wall Street Journal, as well as Fox News Channel contributors Jonathan Hoenig and Mary Katharine Ham. Appearances were also made by Joe Wurzelbacher (Joe the Plumber) and Milwaukee talk radio host Vicki McKenna.
The Sam Adams Alliance handed out a total of $40,000 in prize money and Golden Sammies to winners in nine different categories. Bloggers, filmmakers, open records champions and other government watchdogs were honored for discovering voter fraud, fighting tax hikes, exposing corrupt public officials and creating grassroots networks of activists, just to name a few accomplishments.
“The most heartening part of the experience was seeing many people who have never been involved much in politics getting motivated and involved,” said Melissa Clouthier, winner of the Micro-blogging award. “One great moment was when Twitter was explained to a mid-50’s business owner and he said, incredulously ‘the news doesn't get filtered!”
The evening festivities included inspiring speeches from the winners and presenters, as well as entertaining skits that showcased the talents of the evening’s emcee, Guy Benson of AM560 WIND and the Hugh Hewitt show. Sam Adams himself made a fashionably late appearance at the end of the evening, where he gave a lifetime achievement award to Paul Jacob, President of Citizens in Charge and legendary term limits and citizen rights activist.
“Paul Jacob embodies what the Sammies are all about,” said Tsarpalas. “He has dedicated his life to empowering people, risking his own personal freedom as he faced malicious prosecution because he believes in citizens’ rights. For three decades he has been America’s modern day Samuel Adams.”
