Downeast Dog News Recognized for Writing Excellence
Lisa T. Jung takes home WCFO Canine Freestyle Media Award
Downeast Dog News (DDN) was one of three finalists up for a prestigious Maxwell medallion award in the canine newspaper category of the Dog Writer’s Association of America (DWAA) 2007 competition, and DDN’s Lisa T. Jung was awarded the WCFO Excellence in Canine Freestyle Media Award at DWAA’s annual banquet held February 10 in New York City.
“This was the first year that Downeast Dog News entered the competition and we were thrilled to be a finalist in the canine newspaper category,” Holly Sherburne, DDN’s publisher, said. “It’s always been important to me that Downeast Dog News contain high quality content and writing, and that all articles are objective, well-researched and written by and about Maine people whenever possible.”
Jung, of Ellsworth, was able to help Sherburne do just that for DDN. Her article “Bow Wow Boogie” was awarded the WCFO Excellence in Canine Freestyle Media Award for best work on the sport of canine freestyle. Jung received a cash prize for writing the article, which was published in the January 2007 issue of DDN.
Dogs and writing have always been a passion for Jung, but until now, she hadn’t found an outlet to combine those passions. Jung served as a corporate editor and writer for AT&T for 10 years before earning a master’s in social work and working as a therapist and addictions counselor.
“Once I moved to Maine,” Jung said, “I was in and out of counseling jobs and never stayed very long, because I was always investigating how I could fulfill my dream of working with dogs.”
“I was so excited to meet Holly, and I immediately liked DDN—the quality was excellent—and later, when I looked on her website and read about her mission, her ideas and what issues she wanted to address in DDN, I knew I wanted to work for her.”
Jung adds, “I thought—I’ve found it! The marriage of my two passions: dogs and writing.”
When Sherburne asked Jung if she’d like to write a feature article about the Bow Wow Boogie Canine Freestyle Seminar, a benefit for Suzan Morris and her service dog in training at My Wonderful Dog, Jung leaped at the chance.
“I’d never even heard of canine freestyle,” Jung said. “The event was a canine lovefest—a room full of people, dogs and music led by an incredibly inspiring trainer and woman, Carolyn Scott.”
Jung adds, “Since then I’ve written for every issue.”
“I’m thrilled to have Lisa writing for Downeast Dog News,” Sherburne said. “And also that this—still young—newspaper was recognized on a national level in the company of other great dog writers and publications.”
The DWAA, begun in 1935, holds a writing competition designed to encourage quality writing about dogs in all aspects of companionship and dog sport. The competition is open to all writers, photographers, editors and publishers. The annual competition brings in entries from around the United States and recognizes quality writing about dogs in all forms of media, including newspapers, magazines, books and the Internet.
For more information about the DWAA, go online to www.dwaa.org. For more information about canine freestyle, go online to www.worldcaninefreestyle.org.
