Listen to this articleThe first Utah Pride Day community service award was created by Donny Eastepp, Emperor XII of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, while serving as Gay Pride Day chair in 1987. The award was established to recognize outstanding service to the gay community.
It was presented to Dr. Kristen Ries, M.D. for her humanitarian efforts in dealing with the AIDS crisis. The community service award was afterward named in her honor. It is the highest honor our community can bestow and since that time 34 individuals and two organizations have received the prestigious award.
The Kristen Ries Community Service Award recipients, while seemingly diverse, have in common the love of community. They have all in their own unique ways given time, money, service and commitment to building or supporting the gay and lesbian community. They are very much positive role models and like Dr. Kristen Ries “exemplified everything that the award has stood for: compassion, leadership, and courage.”
Recipients
1987-Dr. Kristen Ries M.D.
1988-Rev. Bruce Barton
1989-KUTV Channel Two for sponsoring bringing the AIDS Quilt to Utah
1990-Chuck Whyte
1991-Nikki Boyer, Becky Moss, Ben Williams
1992-The College of Monarchs of the Royal Court of the Golden Spike Empire, Craig Miller
1993-Ben Barr, Val Mansfield, Kathy Worthington (deceased)
1994-Kim Russo
1995-Bruce Harmon (deceased)
1996-Clariss Cartier (Doug Tollstrup), Charlene Orchard, Barb Barnhart (deceased)
1997-Rev. Kelly Byrnes, Jeff Freedman, Maggie Snyder PA-C
1998-LaDonna Moore
1999-Dr. Patty Reagan Ph.D.
2000-Marlin Criddle
2000- Brenda Voisard
2001- Laura Milliken Gray
2001- Brook Heart-Song
2002- Kevin Hillman
2003- Doug Wortham
2004-Luci Malin
2005-Jane & Tami Marquardt
2006- Jackie Biskupski
2007-Doug Fadel
2008-Stan Penfold
2009-Walt Larabee
2010 Mark Swonson
2011- Michael Aaron
I guess I'm confused. I always thought this award was for volunteers, not "Gay For Pay" folks who do precisely what we pay them for.