2024 Touchstone Awards: Know before you go!

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The Press Club of Toledo looks forward to welcoming you to The Valentine Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 26 for the 2024 Touchstone Awards. We hope you are as excited as we are to attend. Here are some important details to help you prepare for the event.

Venue details
The Valentine Theatre
410 Adams Street
Toledo, OH 43604
Map

Where to park
Parking in the North Superior Street lot is included with your ticket purchase. It is located across the street from the Valentine Theatre entrance. When you arrive, notify the lot attendant that you are here for the Press Club.

Touchstone tickets
Tickets are still available for purchase, with discounts for students, nominees and Press Club members. Need to confirm your Press Club membership status? Not sure if you qualify for the nominee discount? Email the Press Club!

Touchstone tickets

Event schedule
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with gourmet grazing, cocktails and networking. The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the historic theater.

Raffle and drawing
Raffle tickets will be available for purchase, cash-only, during the cocktail hour. They are $5 a piece or $20 for five tickets, and the proceeds will go towards the Press Club of Toledo’s scholarship fund. Winners will be drawn at random during the awards program. You could win a Glass City Metropark cabana rental, a TolHouse membership and more! Must be present to win.

Meet our community award winners

Barb Hendel

Barbara Hendel, society editor at The Blade, is the recipient of the Norm Cartwright Award, which is named after a founding member of the Press Club of Toledo and honors outstanding efforts to promote the Press Club’s principles.

Ambrea Mikolajczyk

Ambrea Mikolajczyk, real estate developer and owner of ARK Restoration and Construction, is the recipient of the Contributor Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the community, specifically someone who has made a significant impact on the quality of life in Northwest Ohio over the past year.

Deb Monagan

Debra Monagan, president ex officio of Communica, is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a lifetime of outstanding contributions to the community in all aspects, including business, public service and philanthropy.

Mark Zaborney

Mark Zaborney, retired reporter from The Blade, is the recipient of the Golden Touchstone Award, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the field of journalism in Northwest Ohio.

Extra awards
Additional trophies will be available for purchase through Sylvan Studio. Please contact them at scott@sylvanstudio.com or 419-882-3443 after the ceremony to place your order.

Thank you to our sponsors
The 2024 Touchstone Awards is supported in part by The Blade, Adams Street Publishing, Communica, Nuestra Gente Community Projects, Owens Corning, SSOE Group, the Toledo Free Press and media sponsor BCAN/BCSN.

Tickets for 2024 Touchstone Awards on sale

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The Sept. 26 ceremony lauds the best in local journalism from the past year and community award honorees

Tickets for the 2024 Touchstone Awards are available for purchase at toledopressclub.com, with discounts available for Press Club members, nominees and students.

Touchstone Awards tickets

Hosted annually by the Press Club of Toledo, the Touchstone Awards celebrate the best in local journalism and communications across print, television, radio, social media and public relations. The ceremony will take place Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Valentine Theatre and is observing 26 years of commemorating the work of area journalists and communications professionals.

Tickets are $100 for nonmembers, $75 for Press Club members and $45 for Touchstone nominees and students. Parking in the North Superior Street lot, located across the street from the Valentine Theatre entrance, is included with ticket purchase.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with gourmet grazing, cocktails and a raffle featuring donations from Metroparks Toledo, TolHouse and other local organizations. The ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in the historic theater.

In addition to giving journalism and communications awards, the Press Club of Toledo recognizes individuals for their service and contributions to the greater Toledo community at the ceremony. The 2024 community award honorees are:

Barbara Hendel, society editor at The Blade, is the recipient of the Norm Cartwright Award, which is named after a founding member of the Press Club of Toledo and honors outstanding efforts to promote the Press Club’s principles;

Ambrea Mikolajczyk, real estate developer and owner of ARK Restoration and Construction, is the recipient of the Contributor Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the community, specifically someone who has made a significant impact on the quality of life in Northwest Ohio over the past year;

Debra Monagan, president ex officio of Communica, is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a lifetime of outstanding contributions to the community in all aspects, including business, public service and philanthropy; and

Mark Zaborney, retired reporter from The Blade, is the recipient of the Golden Touchstone Award, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the field of journalism in Northwest Ohio. 

The Touchstone Awards is the sole fundraiser for the Press Club of Toledo’s scholarship fund. Two scholarships will be awarded at the ceremony to students from The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University who epitomize service and dedication to the profession of journalism.

The 2024 Touchstone Awards is supported in part by The Blade, Adams Street Publishing, Communica, Nuestra Gente Community Projects, Owens Corning, SSOE Group and media sponsor BCAN/BCSN.

September 5 Pressing Issues

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🎙️ The future of journalism is here! Join us at the Toledo Press Club’s Pressing Issues event on September 5th for an in-depth discussion on the impact of AI in journalism and communications. 🤖📰

Our expert panel will explore how AI is transforming newsrooms, enhancing storytelling, and reshaping the way we communicate. Whether you’re curious about the potential of AI or concerned about its challenges, this event is your chance to dive into the conversation.

📍 Location: Main Library, Toledo

🕔 Time: 5:30 PM

Don’t miss out on this timely and important discussion. See you there! #ToledoPressClub #PressingIssues #AIinJournalism #FutureofNews

Touchstone Awards ceremony returns to the Valentine Theatre Thursday, Sept. 26

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Community award winners will be honored along with the best in local journalism at annual awards ceremony this fall

The best in local journalism will be celebrated this fall when the Press Club of Toledo hosts the 2024 Touchstone Awards at the Valentine Theatre on Thursday, Sept. 26. The ceremony is observing 26 years of commemorating the work of area journalists and communications professionals. Nominations are being accepted now through Monday, July 15.

In addition to giving journalism and communications awards, the Press Club of Toledo recognizes individuals for their service and contributions to the greater Toledo community at the ceremony. The 2024 community award honorees are:

Barbara Hendel, society editor at The Blade, is the recipient of the Norm Cartwright Award, which is named after a founding member of the Press Club of Toledo and honors outstanding efforts to promote the Press Club’s principles;

Ambrea Mikolajczyk, real estate developer and owner of ARK Restoration and Construction, is the recipient of the Contributor Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the community, specifically someone who has made a significant impact on the quality of life in Northwest Ohio over the past year;

Debra Monagan, president ex officio of Communica, is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes a lifetime of outstanding contributions to the community in all aspects, including business, public service and philanthropy; and

Mark Zaborney, retired reporter from The Blade, is the recipient of the Golden Touchstone Award, which recognizes lifetime achievement in the field of journalism in Northwest Ohio. 

Tickets for the 2024 Touchstone Awards are on sale now toledopressclub.com, with discounts available for Press Club members, nominees and students.

To be eligible for a 2024 Touchstone award, the work must have been produced or published between May 1, 2023 – May 14, 2024 and not submitted for previous Touchstone award consideration. There are over 20 categories across print, television, radio, social media and public relations to choose from. The fee per nomination is $10 for students, $25 for Press Club members and $75 for nonmembers. Nonmembers can also submit a nomination and become a first-time Press Club member for $50. Additional information about the nomination process is available at toledopressclub.com.

The Touchstone Awards is the sole fundraiser for the Press Club of Toledo’s scholarship fund. Two scholarships are awarded annually to students from The University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University who epitomize service and dedication to the profession of journalism.

The 2024 Touchstone Awards is supported in part by The Blade, Adams Street Publishing, Communica, Nuestra Gente Community Projects, Owens Corning, SSOE Group and media sponsor BCAN/BCSN.