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The 2007 Mortensen Award
2007 Affirmation Conference, Washington, DC

October 2007

Aaron Vinck and James Morris

The Mortensen Award, Affirmation's highest honor, is presented each year at our annual conference to an individual who has served Affirmation in outstanding leadership and service. This year's nominees were Alyson Bolles, Dave Melson, Carlos Mitchell, Buckley Jeppson, Jason Giles, Brian Benington, James D. Westwood, Aaron Vinck, and James Morris. The award went to Aaron Vinck and James Morris, life partners and longtime Affirmation leaders. Here's the remarks made by James Kent as he presented the award:

This year's Paul Mortensen Award recipient represents the heart and soul of their chapter. Countless hours of donated service, countless dollars of contributions to the causes of Affirmation, countless hours of planning events and activities for their local chapter and for national conferences.

This year's recipient has gone out of their way to make visitors, members old and new feel welcome at all Affirmation meetings and functions. This person's home is a safe haven to many Affirmation members over the years.

This year's recipient has patiently listened to countless coming out stories, and has reached out a hand to shake, or arms to hug, or a shoulder to cry on.

This year's recipient has served in many positions, including Chapter Director, Chapter Board of Director, Chapter Treasurer, Conference Committee Member, Executive Board Member, and Membership Secretary.

This is only the second time in the history of the Mortensen Award that this has happened. This year's recipient is actually two halves that form a perfect whole. They are indeed a dynamic duo. They have attended every annual conference since the Portland Conference of 1998.

One has been the longest continuing active member of their chapter. He is a gifted fine artist, as well as being a creative caterer. He makes those around him completely at ease with his warm smile and sense of humor.

The other is a master of detail. He is very kind, generous, patient and caring to those in his chapter, and to those making inquiries regarding Affirmation. He keeps his chapter members connected to each other, as well as keeping the membership records of every member of Affirmation in the United States and worldwide. He is a champion of respecting the privacy and confidentiality of everyone he comes in contact with—providing Affirmation members a safe space to just be themselves.

Both are well known within Affirmation, and I have been blessed to be able to call them my friends for many years. This year's Mortensen Award recipients are James Morris and Aaron Vinck of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.

"Some people are here just temporarily, and some people are here for the long term," said James Morris as he accepted the award. "A long time ago, I thought I was going to come to Affirmation for a 'quick fix,' and find out how to expedite my excommunication, but I met someone who was wiser than myself—Ron Kershaw. He gave me a sense of empowerment that I had never experienced as a gay man. I determined then than I was going to be here for the long haul. Whatever it takes, I want to be here to help."

About the Mortensen Award

The Mortensen Award was established, under the direction of Ron Kershaw, in 1987. It was decided the award would be given annually to the one individual who had given outstanding service and leadership to Affirmation. It is the only continuing award Affirmation presents and it tries to recognize the best people in the organization. The past recipients are:

1987 - Paul Mortensen
1988 - Clifford Barnes (†)
1989 - Ina Mae Murri (†)
1990 - Irwin Phelps (†)
1991 - Ron Kershaw (†)
1992 - Larry Gates
1993 - Rick Fernández
1994 - Tere LaGiusa & Jacki Riedeman

1995 - James Kent
1996 - Duane Jennings
1997 - Ricky Gilbert
1998 - David Johnson
1999 - Henry Miller
2000 - Alan Blodgett
2001 - Scott MacKay
2002 - Olin Thomas

2003 - Ben Jarvis
2004 - Mike Miner
2005 - Hugo Salinas
2006 - Brus Leguás Contreras
2007 - James Morris & Aaron Vinck
2008 - Jason Giles
2009 - David Melson
2010 - Bruce Maughan

The selection committee for the award is composed of past recipients. Each year, around July, a call is sent out to all Affirmation leaders, chapters and groups asking for nominations. Anyone may nominate any individual or you may even nominate yourself. The receipt of nomination letters constitutes the only people considered for the award.

The award was established and intended to always be an award for service to Affirmation. This is the only consideration in the selection of the recipient. We greatly applaud those wonderful souls in our midst who also make great contributions to the gay and lesbian community at large. We especially applaud those people who have made outstanding efforts in the Mormon community through related groups such as Family Fellowship, Gamofites and others in increasing the understanding of the gay and lesbian Mormon community.

But because the Mortensen Award is intended to honor only service and leadership to Affirmation, the winner is decided totally on the merits of the nomination letters received and the contributions to Affirmation as spelled out in those letters.