Medallion Project
The IAGSDC Medallion Project was created by Freeman Stamper to provide dancers with a straightforward, attainable goal to provide a sense of achievement in square dancing.
When a dancer (or non-dancer, caller, or vendor) has attended 10, 20, 25, or 30 IAGSDC Conventions (total, not consecutively), they are awarded a medallion in recognition of their support of and commitment to LGBTQ+ square dancing.
The medallion itself is a metal disk showing the years of attendance (consecutive or not) and interlocking squares representing the continuity of the clubs who are members of the Association and linking of the clubs to their IAGSDC commonality. The ends of the chain are not connected to each other to represent the ability of the Association to expand, while the curved formation represents the laurel branches of achievement. On the reverse is an arrangement of triangles representing the fact that the LGBTQ+ community is the background of the IAGSDC. In addition, the medallion is inscribed with the recipient’s name and year of receipt.
At each IAGSDC Convention, there is a Medallion Project table. At the table are a set of books with all attendees' names from all past Conventions. Attendees are asked to find their name, verify their contact and attendance information is correct, and make any needed changes. The books are printed out from a master database maintained by Rick Hawes (from 1998 to 2018), Keith Gehrig (2018 to 2023), and Kelly Shortandqueer (2024 to present). The set of books prepared for the 2013 convention in San Francisco consisted of approximately 800 pages with roughly 7,000 name entries. As of February, 2020, there are over 7,200 names in the medallion database.
Previously, when a dancer reached a medallion level, they were notified by “Stepmother Medallion”--a position occupied from 1998 to 2018 by Rick Hawes--that they were eligible to receive their medallion. Keith Gehrig. took on the role as "Stepdaddy Medallion" from 2019-2023). In present day, the Medallion Project continues, with the coordination taken on by Kelly Shortandqueer in 2024.
The Medallion Project now has a Facebook page, "Medallion Project - IAGSDC"
With a heavy heart, I want to express gratitude for the incredible work that Keith A. Gehrig put into the IAGSDC Medallion Project and express the profound loss his passing is for our community. Keith approached me about being the next stepparent for the Medallion Project, which I was honored to accept, and he started training me with the intention of handing off the project several years from now. While the time has come sooner than expected, I've started working to ensure a smooth transition, with the support of those who have helped grow and sustain the Medallion Project. I will be reaching out to people receiving medallions in Durham in the near future, so please be patient as I'm working on logistics. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the Medallion Project. Yellow rocks to all. — Kelly Shortandqueer, 11 Apr 2024
Medallions are awarded publicly at Convention, generally during opening ceremonies (30 and 25 Year Medallions) and following the Saturday night banquet (10 Year Medallions) and following the Sunday brunch (20 Year Medallions). There is usually a special dance tip (the Medallion Tip) for all medallion holders after the brunch.
According to Stepmother Medallion, as of the 2007 Convention, a total of 553 Ten Year and 49 Twenty Year Medallions had been handed out. This number was updated by Stepdaddy Medallion to 1,360 medallions handed out as of the end of the 2019 convention in Philadelphia.
Funding for this project began privately at first by Freeman Stamper and then Rick Hawes. As of 2007, the Medallion Project has been funded (in part) by the IAGSDC.
Questions related to the Medallion Project can be sent to medallions@iagsdc.org.
Recipients
Photos
IAGSDC 10 Year Medallion (Front)
IAGSDC 10 Year Medallion (Rear) - The recipient's name is inscribed in the space between the two pyramids.
IAGSDC 20 Year Medallion (Front - The back is the same as the 10 Year Medallion.)
IAGSDC 25 Year Medallion (Front - The back is the same as the 10 Year Medallion.)
IAGSDC 30 Year Medallion (Front)
IAGSDC 30 Year Medallion (Rear) - The recipient's name is inscribed inside the pyramid.
Freeman Stamper, creator of the Medallion Project at Remake The Heatwave, 2004
Rick Hawes, "Stepmother Medallion", 1998-2018
Keith Gehrig, "Stepdaddy Medallion", 2018-2024
Also see:
- Freeman Stamper's Medallion Project Inaugural Presentation Speech
