Popular Post Jordan aka FltAdmlWolf Posted June 29, 2017 Popular Post Posted June 29, 2017 We continue Day 3 with our Special Awards, which generally represent Out Of Character achievement in one area or another. This year, we have an extra special presentation with the second winner for the Great Bird Award! Great Bird Award This award is the highest honor given to any officer, and has only been given once in the history of the group. It is given to an officer who helps develop and/or invents a new way of simming, a new way of thinking, or a new way of looking at the Star Trek universe. Renos, USS Darwin Presented by Tristan Wolf: "Well, I never thought I'd see the day I'd get to present this award to someone else! For a long time it seemed like the award description was so arcane that it was destined to belong only to me. But I'm grateful that members of the fleet were insistent that Rear Admiral Renos fits the bill this year so we can begin to expand the circle of winners and, hopefully, spur more innovation in our fleet. All three nominations for this award mentioned the Andaris Task Force's unique configuration in our fleet. It certainly wasn't without controversy when it was introduced – the councils had to take some time to wrap their heads around the idea, as did members of the Darwin who would transition into this new structure. But in talking with Renos (James), I remember that he was quite self-assured that this was exactly the path to take his crew down. And it seems to have succeeded. It's not just that there are four ships in one "simming installation," but that we also have our fleet's first medical ship. By splitting purpose between a small fleet of ships, and engaging in really beautiful worldbuilding, the Andaris TF has brought a whole new perspective to how simming can work. That's exactly what it takes to earn this award. Many congratulations for breaking the barrier on this award, James. I'm quite honored to bestow the Great Bird Award on you and I can't wait to see what you come up with next. Whatever it is, I know that – like everything you do – it will be formulated with great care, and always with an eye toward innovation and entertainment for our members." The Rising Star Award For members who show great promise in many facets of their participation in the group, and to whom we look to as a future leader. Oddas Aria, Embassy of Duronis II Presented by Toni Turner: "Since she came on board, first as an engineer, and now, a First Officer, Lt. Commander Oddas Aria has been a joy to watch as she first had to deal with busted starships as Chief Engineer, and now, has jumped in with both feet as First Officer, feeling her way through the process of now being the second in command and not in charge of Engineering. Her sims are a joy to read as we watch her go through the occasionally painful process of filling the Second Chair. Not only that, but she has fully taken up the reins OOC as well, keeping in touch with members who have not simmed in awhile, making sure there is at least one sim per week submitted to the Top Sims, contest. For these reasons, I am absolutely delighted to present the Rising Star Award to Lt. Commander Oddas Aria. Congratulations!" Luminary Award Given to members holding the rank of ensign, lieutenant junior grade, or lieutenant. For those who show great promise in their future endeavours in UFOP: Starbase 118 RPG. Graeme Cook, Andaris Task Force Presented by Renos: "Graeme Cook has a relentlessly positive attitude and is deeply considerate and caring of others. He's the sort of person that everyone wants to be best friends with because he is so genuine and nice! He constantly strives to do the best he can and works tirelessly to perfect his posts to the best of his ability. His writing is amazing! He combines real-world medicine, an appropriate amount of Treknology and humour to create some of the most engaging and entertaining writing I've had the joy to read. Since joining ATF he has been a tremendous writer, he leads his department by being a shining example of what an excellent medical officer looks like and goes out of his way to include everyone in the large department (there are three other PCs and various PNPCs) and finds ways to give them all a chance to shine in the spotlight. He has been a great help with OOC work, doing odd jobs such as wiki updates and providing graphics on demand. Having joined out staff list recently his role has expanded and he has taken to it like a duck to water. There are great things in this player's future and he is one of our brightest stars of tomorrow. I can think of no one more deserving of this award than he is, which is why I'm so excited to present him with this award." The Locutus Award Given to those members of the Publicity Team who go above-and-beyond their monthly requirements for participation on a regular basis. These team members show enthusiasm and flair for spreading the word about or role-playing community and take an active interest in finding new ways to invite people to join our ranks. Tristan Wolf Presented by Renos: "No one has done more for the publicity team. Ever. He supports its team members and facilitators, points them to resources, created the WordPress site and materials they use to guide them and has taken lead himself where necessary. I cannot stress enough just how valuable Wolf's contributions have been and continue to be. He is very much the unsung hero of publicity and its past due time he got some well deserved kudos for his efforts, so I'm delighted to present him with this much deserved ribbon. Thank you and congratulations!" The Sarpeidon Award Awarded to members who have made outstanding contributions to the 118Wiki. Sarpeidon was the world in TOS's "All Our Yesterdays," in which the planet's population created a library containing their entire world's history. This is, in essence, what our wiki strives to become: a collection of our group's history and a simming database. Jalana Rajel, USS Constitution Presented by Maxwell Traenor: "When we think of contributions to the 118Wiki, we often think of expansive pages and creative templates and coding. However, these pages would be nothing but walls of text if not for the beautiful and expressive images that adorn them. Thanks to the contributions of The Image Collective, especially those of its taskforce leader Jalana Rajel, our wiki is one of the most inviting and engaging roleplay resources in the Star Trek genre! For years now, Jalana Rajel has answered any and all requests for professionally created character images, Badge and Award graphics, and numerous other Photoshop magic acts in order to ensure that SB118 puts its best face forward with the 118Wiki. For that reason, it is our pleasure to award Jalana Rajel with the Sarpeidon Award! Congratulations!" The Boothby Award For trainers who go above and beyond their Academy training requirements. These trainers display an outstanding example of dedication to bringing new cadets to our community. Oddas Aria, Embassy of Duronis II Presented by Toni Turner: " Although I am no longer affiliated with the Academy, I have heard from other members and graduates how well Oddas is showing his dedication to guiding our new members to their full potential, by setting an excellent example. He not only shows his dedication in the Academy but has brought what he has learned to the Embassy crew. And you really can't ask for better than that. As one Academy graduate related: "I was very intimidated by the setup and posting frequency. I was lost, confused and felt like giving it up. The feedback and support I received from Oddas Aria helped me overcome all of that, for which I am grateful and now I absolutely love simming!" This came from one of Oddas Aria's fellow trainers: "Nick is an excellent trainer who is one of our most regular volunteers. Some trainers volunteer but only ever offer to run a mock cadet but Oddas Aria is normally willing to be placed in any role we need. He is a reliable, enthusiastic trainer and his continued help makes it easier to ensure we are able to run classes each week for new cadets." For his dedication to guiding our new members into our fleet, I happily award her with the Boothby Award. Congratulations, Nick! " Quark's Bar Quark's Bar is a special award and is awarded to members who are regularly active on the forums and have been supportive and involved in conversations enhancing the overall forum experience. E'riQ Lo'PeH, Andaris Task Force Presented by Renos: "As anyone who is mildly active in OOC activities is likely to know, E'riQ (formerly playing John Valdivia) has proceeded to keep a very substantial presence on the forums. He is in charge of the Poll of the Week, consistently posing fascinating questions about morality and command obligations. These questions, more than anything else, solidify his position as one of the forum's more regular contributors. The sheer imagination it must take to consistently create such immersive topics for debate is staggering, and he has nothing but my greatest respect. Anyone can ask a question but it takes a bit of thought, creativity and intelligence to pose the sort of truly thought-provoking questions regularly brought to us for consideration by E'riQ. It's clear that he is passionate about what he does and cares about bringing us topics that will engage us and get our imaginations running. When he's not doing that he chips in around Andaris Task Force's Forums and posts the occasional Top Sims nomination. His contributions to the forum have been invaluable and enhance the forum experience for others at the same time. I'm delighted to present E'riQ with the Quark's Bar. Thank you for all that you do, Eric, we appreciate it." The Xalor Clan Xifilis Award Given to any simmer who overcomes any sort of disadvantage while simming. This award was originally called the "Rachel Garett Pendant," but was renamed for the 2000 ceremony to to honor a respected simmer in UFOP: StarBase 118 who passed away in that year. This is the only Special Award that is given more than once per ceremony. Jalana Rajel, USS Constitution Presented by Maxwell Traenor: "When one looks at Jalana Rajel's contributions to SB118, whether it be with her role as leader of The Image Collective, as CO of the Constitution, or her work with the Captains Council and active presence on the forums and chatrooms, one cannot help but notice her sunny disposition and can-do attitude. Leading by example, she exudes a confidence and proficiency that motivates those that interact with her. The fact that Jalana Rajel is so active despite contending with health and depression challenges is a testament to her professionalism and dedication and is a shining example to her crew and to the fleet at large. Where many would use such challenges in real life to shy away from responsibility, Rajel meets them head on and refuses to let her issues affect the level of engagement she shares with all of us. An inspiration to any who face similar issues, Jalana Rajel is a worthy recipient of the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award." Rune Jolara, USS Veritas Presented by Roshanara Rahman: "As her commanding officer, I've been given the trust from Rune Jolara's writer Kait with personal and at times painful updates about what has been happening beyond the confines of our simming group in her life. With all the challenges and heartbreak that have happened, Kait has shown her strength and perseverance through it all. That strength has not gone unnoticed by others around her. As conveyed through their nominations of her for this award, her shipmates--current and past--have been moved by her tireless dedication to the fleet. She continues to sim with long-time friends while also training and welcoming new members into our community. As one nominator wrote, "she is more than deserving of this award and so much more," and I'm honored to present her the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award as the fleet's recognition of her efforts." T'Reshik, USS Constitution Presented by Jalana Rajel: "Who doesn’t know the difficulty to keep up with simming when other things are jumping in the way. The obstacles of work, school or health often put a damper on the ability to write regularly or enjoy the adventures your crew throws themselves in. But these are also the times when some players push through and power up even more, putting in all their free time and effort to keep up and make things work, because they love the game and writing with their fellow crewmates. Issy, the player behind the Constitution’s Science Officer T’Reshik, is one of these people. Despite facing the challenges of CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) she has quickly become a reliable and valuable asset to the Conny Crew. She enriches the roleplay with her characterisations, deep stories, extensive details and creative ideas that we all wouldn’t want to miss. It’s my honor to present the Xalor Clan Xifilis Award to T’Reshik’s player. You’re an inspiration, Issy. Congratulations!" The Trailblazer Award For members who originate a creative and innovative way for the fleet to engage with each other and the Star Trek universe. These participants provide unique opportunities that help to make our game an immersive and unique Star Trek experience. Oddas Aria, Embassy of Duronis II Presented by Toni Turner: "Lt. Commander Oddas Aria, for her work with the fleet's Advanced Starship Design Bureau and the Journal of the Starfleet Corps of Engineers, without a doubt embodies the qualifications for the Trailblazer Award. Her work with the Journal drew attention from many members of the fleet and helped to spawn the Journal of Starfleet Medicine and the Starfleet Journal of Arts & Sciences. These journals have given members a new way to engage with Star Trek based material and bring the IC experiences and research into the fleet's wiki. It is ideas like this that make Oddas Aria a great recipient of the Trailblazer Award. Congratulations! Job well done, Nick! " The Community Champion Award For members who participate in – or help facilitate – simming community events, representing the best of UFOP: SB118 to other organizations by hosting events, acting as contest judges, or otherwise contributing their expertise in a way that benefits the wider community. Mirra Ezo, Starbase 118 Ops Presented by Sal Taybrim: "Anyone can be present on the chats or the forums, but it takes someone who is a ray of sunshine to make a lasting impact. Mirra Ezo is that ray of sunshine. She is always ready to welcome new crew both to the chat and her ship, and she always approaches them with a big smile and a heaping helping of humor. Mirra has attended every fleetwide chat, she can almost always be found in the chat lobby and she's supported StarBase 118 lecturers by attending outside conventions such as Sci World and Fall Fest as an active participant. Mirra is also one of people who makes the fleetwide trivia contest a success! On the forums you can find her nominating Top Sims, posting best quotes and saying hello to new players. Her enthusiasm and positive attitude is infectious and it absolutely helps raise morale both on her ship and across the fleet. I know new members feel more welcome when they see a friendly face and Mirra is most definitely one of those friendly faces. I am very happy to present the Community Champion award to Mirra Ezo!" Congratulations to all the winners! 13
Popular Post Sal Taybrim Posted June 29, 2017 Popular Post Posted June 29, 2017 Many congratulations to all the winners! I'd like to give special shout outs to @Jalana - I really hoped she would get recognized for all the amazing work she does with the image collective - and has done for years! Not only is she fabulous and committed to providing amazing images for our wiki and forums; but she's been doing it for as long as I can remember. It's something we take for granted sometimes, and really needs to be pointed out and congratulated because it's one of the things new members immediately see and are drawn to; and it's also something that provides joy and a aids for storytelling to our longtime members. A picture tells 10,000 words and by that logic, Jalana has written an entire library of novels for our game by providing us high quality images to help bring our stories to life. Congrats, Jalana! Also a special shout out to @Mirra Ezo who is Ops' own little ray of sunshine! If you've been on the chat, no matter what ship you're on you probably know Mirra. She's always ready to welcome a new member or talk with anyone. She's attended online conventions bringing smiles and humor across the roleplaying community and presenting a great face for SB118; and she's a fixture on the forums. I can't think of a nicer, more welcoming member to receive this honor than Mirra! Many congrats to @Oddas Aria, who I have had the pleasure of working with in the academy! You've done a great job this year and everyone is looking forward to seeing you grow and where you go from here! And a big round of applause to @Renos for being the second person in the group's history to win the great bird award! That's amazing! I very much look forward seeing great things from all of our special award winners in the upcoming year! Excellent work everyone! 8
Popular Post Toni Posted June 29, 2017 Popular Post Posted June 29, 2017 Congratulations to everyone chosen for this year's special awards, especially Rear Admiral Renos for the Great Bird designation! Well, done, James! You earned it 10 times over! Admiral Wolf, it is really good to see some of the work you do for SB118 recognized. Graeme Cook, you have done very well in starting your Starfleet career. Your positive, consideration and caring of others, is to be admired. Captain Taybrin was absolutely correct in saying that Jalana's work in graphic design is amazing. I've long admired her work as she never fails to deliver on ever request or idea sent to her. She is truly talented and a blessing to us all. I have seen Mirra Ezo at work as our Community Champion in our chatroom, welcoming everyone in a warm and friendly manner. She is definitely an awesome representative of SB118! The Embassy is extremely proud and happy for Oddas Aria's excellent representation. Nick is truly a Rising Star, Trailblazer, and dedicated trainer. We are certainly lucky to have him with us! E'riQ Lo'PeH (A.K.A. John Valdivia) It's great to see you recognized for your activities on the forums. To All who received The Xalor Clan Xifilis Award - You are and inspiration to us all! Again, Congratulations to every one of you! 7
Oddas Aria Posted June 29, 2017 Posted June 29, 2017 Congratulations Renos the amount of work you've done, and continue to do, is simply amazing. Thanks again for all the work you do, I am glad I've gotten to know you. 3
Renos Posted June 29, 2017 Posted June 29, 2017 I'm glad to see Oddas getting the Boothby Award since I nominated him for it for all the outstanding work and commitment. I know the cadets value and appreciate him every bit as much as I do. It goes without saying that achieving the Picard Award and the Great Bird Award is absolutely mind blowing, so thank you very much indeed! As long as the community is ahppy, I'm happy, that's what it's all about. Every single one of these winners are worthy and I have great respect in particular for those who conquer adversity to make things work and cntinue to write with us. Congrtaulations one and all! 2
Theo Whittaker Posted June 30, 2017 Posted June 30, 2017 What else can I say about @Mirra Ezo that hasn't already been said? Not a great deal! I firmly believe that she deserves the Community Champion award because she is a wonderful asset to this fleet. You can always find spreading her joy somewhere on the forum or in the discord chat. I've simmed with her for two years and her enthusiasm and brightness is infectious! I am so, so proud of her! @Jalana- your graphical prowess is next level. Absolutely astonishing. Your take on a Bolian-fied Grace Jones was equal parts mesmerising and terrifying. Everytime I look at the picture, it sends a shiver down my spine. You are a credit to this fleet and to your ship. I have had the pleasure of simming with you briefly this past year and I can see why you are considered such a treasure! @FltAdml. Wolf thank you from the bottom of my heart for commanding this fleet with a steady hand and with wisdom. Your tireless devotion and dedication to this fleet are an example to us all. Without you, there would be no UFOP: Starbase 118 and none of us would have ever met. I don't think there enough words to express my gratitude to you. The fact that @Renos is the second person to be awarded the Great Bird of The Galaxy award in the fleet's history is nothing short of phenomenal and really is an indication of the passion and devotion that he puts into this fleet. Congratulations! 3
Popular Post + Salkath Posted July 1, 2017 Popular Post Posted July 1, 2017 Congratulations, everybody! This is an impressive list of recipients! @Renos, I wish I could say I was surprised that you are only the second person to ever receive this award, but anyone who's had the pleasure and honor to work with you cannot fault your undying dedication and effort to absolutely everything you put your mind to. A big THANK YOU for everything you do, and this award is only the most basic way we can show our gratitude! @Oddas Aria, when I was part of the Training group, it never failed to amaze me how quickly and how often you would throw your hand up to help in any way you could. Thanks for making the rest of us look like slackers in the process, haha! /jk With this level of dedication and willingness to help, it's no wonder you received both of the awards you did. Thank you so much for being such an active and proactive member of our fleet! @Graeme Cook Cookie! Look at you go! You have always been the life of the party, and now you're stepping up and leading by example. I always knew you had it in you, my friend, and I can't wait to see the dizzying heights you attain in this game! @FltAdml. Wolf, can you imagine how rare it is for the very tip of an organization's pyramid to be so accessible? Goodness knows I've harassed you enough myself, and you've always been so quick and eager to help out in any way you can. That this trait carries through to everything else you do for the fleet, especially in its promotion and advertisement, really is no surprise. All the cookies to you for being such a wonderful and inspiring cheerleader! @Jalana, when I was approached to pen these award presentations for you, I cannot tell you how honored and pleased I was. You have been a good friend from the very first day, and even though I try to express my gratitude as often as I can, I want to thank you yet again for everything you do for the fleet. @Valdivia, man, it's so great to see you get this award! One of the most intelligent people I know, I'm not surprised that you are able to hammer out so many PotW questions that are so engaging and thought-provoking. I have leaned on you so much in the past for your vast Star Trek and scientific knowledge, and now the fleet gets to benefit from those very same skills. Congratulations! @Nikki Ryan and @catscatscats, so few of us can relate to how taxing it must be to be so active and engaging when faced with difficulties. That is precisely why this award is so important, and my deepest gratitude for being so inspiring! @Mirra Ezo, we've hardly worked together if ever, but that doesn't stop your name from being so recognizable! That has to be a testament to how active you are about the fleet, and in recognition of how important that is to the enjoyment and longevity of the fleet, I'm glad to see you get this award. Congratulations! 5
+ Prudence "Rue" Blackwell Posted July 2, 2017 Posted July 2, 2017 @Jalana - Congratulations! Jalana is someone who works hard to ensure that individuals are having a great time and finding inspiration to write their characters. She is someone who is exceedingly kind, intelligent and always looking for ways to include players and new writers. Congratulations!
Jordan aka FltAdmlWolf Posted July 7, 2017 Author Posted July 7, 2017 I'd like to also give a special shout to @Jalana who has done so much work over the years to help new members envision their characters in a fun way, and has been a huge part of making our wiki so dynamic and fun to use. The tutorials she has added to the Image Collective, which have also benefitted the wiki, have been really incredible works of love and dedication. Thanks to her for everything she's done for the group and the wiki Congratulations to @Oddas Aria and @Graeme Cook for their "up and coming" awards! Having a long view of how things work in our community, it's been so much fun to watch the people recognized with these types of awards (Luminary Award is new!) end up rising through the ranks to becoming commanding officers, or even Executive Council members. I'm so excited to see what comes next for these folks, who have really pour their heart and soul into making the community a fun place to be. Big thanks also to the Xalor recipients for sticking with us even through their most difficult moments. I hope that our community has helped you find comfort and fellowship in dark times. And congratulations to everyone else who received an award in this category! 1
+ Saveron Posted July 9, 2017 Posted July 9, 2017 (edited) I’ve only recently transferred to the Constitution, but I’d like to give a big wave to Jalana for making me feel very welcome. Her creativity is phenomenal, and her artwork exquisite, and her leadership gentle and encouraging. Whilst facing her own challenges with aplomb, she likes to gently challenge others and help them grow. I blame her entirely for saying ‘actually, we really need a Counsellor’, and then standing back and watching the fun. But that’s what she does, she gives us opportunities for our characters to grow, and for us to develop as writers. As for T'Reshik, having battled Fibromyalgia myself, I don’t know how you have the energy and sheer creative drive to write the quality and quantity that you do, but I am very glad of it. Your characters are beautifully written and highly entertaining, and I look forward to following their adventures in the future. Admiral Wolf, the community that you have so tirelessly built, and continued to build over a longer period than any other online game I know, brings enjoyment and satisfaction to a great many people. I don’t know what else to say, except ‘thank you’. Edited July 9, 2017 by Saveron 2
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