Golden Boot 2009
Golden Boot 2009 - Bob Young
presentation at DC Diamond Circulate by John Mckinstry
Good evening
First, I need to again thank Scott Philips for this remarkable honor.
Also, thanks to all of you. We do it for all of us.
While being given this award was very sweet, it is even sweeter to be able to pass it on to a very deserving person.
One of the things I do know is that I was very stunned that night and for weeks after.
This is very heady stuff. I realize the company I keep with this award. Could I have all past recipients stand for a moment I stood on these people's shoulders to continue their work for GLBT square dancing. It is what we do and we should never forget that we are here to dance and have fun at this our annual "Family Reunion".
Family is a very important word to me as you know and I am grateful that one of my "Chosen" families has given me this honor.
This was a difficult and an easy decision. I had pretty much made up my mind by the time I reached the airport on my way home last year. However, there was a list and it had to be dealt with properly. As I have heard other recipients say, the same name kept coming to the top of my list.
So here goes.
The Golden Boot is an annual award given out by the preceding year's recipient.
It is an award, which is given for outstanding service to the GLBT community at the local and or international level. Our past recipients have come from all spectrums of our Square Dance Community, Men, Women, Callers, Clubs and Organizations.
The variety of the past recipients is only matched by the value of what they have contributed to GLBT Square Dancing
This year's recipient is no different in that regard.
This person has:
- Served in many positions on the executive board and continues today to attend delegates meetings
- It was primarily because of him that I became involved as a club delegate to the IAGSDC.
- He has danced (on a regular or semi regular basis) with at least two clubs in the organization and I know has always been there to lend a hand when asked.
- He has been a fun badge Tour host too many times to count.
- Like many others before him, his exterior demeanor belies a caring person underneath.
There is more but it would mean the end to what little surprise there is left so suffice to say that it is more than a great honor that I present this award to the 2009 Golden Boot recipient. Mr. Bob Young.
Unfortunately Ms. Tami Wynotte is not in the room tonight but she also in her own way contributes an enormous amount to our cause.
Besides the plaque I have followed in the footsteps of AJH and Scott Philips and have had a Crystal Desk Plaque engraved for you.
There are a couple of stories that demonstrate Bob's ability to have fun and bring other people into his world.
The elevator ride in Philadelphia with nothing but an apron on and the same evening doing a ladies in men sashay with the apron up. I understand it was done for Ett's benefit.
The fun badge tour at Make Magic when Tami, in her red suit and hat, exclaimed that the script was a piece of crap. only to find out that the authors of said script were sitting right in front of her. She just threw the script at them and said well you read it, hiked up her skirt and sat down next to the bus driver and said "how about those NY rangers eh".
Mr. Bob Young.
(Stepmother/Editor's note: Bob is only the second person to have received both boots - Honky Tonk Queen and Golden Boot - and he, like Harlan Kerr, also served as IAGSDC chair.)
