The four sets of Panellists engaged in the Press Service International young writer program concluded their marking in July in determining the 2016 Basil Sellers Award.
There are five Cycles (each of 5 weeks) in the young writer program "marking period" - which in total is half the year, January to July.
Initiated in 2009 with five sports writers for daily columns in Christian Today, the young writer program broadened to include Comment writers, along with writers on Life, Society, Music, IT, Entertainment, Theology, Philosophy, and the like.
The $1000 Basil Sellers Young Writer Award was initiated in 2013 at the Melbourne conference and repeated in 2014 and 2015 and the recent 2016 'awards' – which were presented in Sydney ten days ago, 13 August.
The Panellists
These were the 2016 Panellists who keep the ball rolling for the Basil Sellers Award. They mark their respective young writer articles throughout each of the first 5 Cycles.
Australia
Gavin Lawrie - retired Barrister, Tweed Heads
John Skinner - retired journalist, Warwick
Deidre Tronson - retired academic, Camden
Aira Chilcott - retired teacher, Canberra
Vicki Nunn - editor of SPAG magazine
Eric Polis - retired missionary, Yowah
New Zealand
Brian Carrell - retired Anglican Bishop, Christchurch
Liz Hay - retired editor, Christchurch
Tash McGill - Corporate, Auckland
Deidre Tronson - retired academic, Camden
Peter Rope - Bookogolist, Auckland
Brent Costley - retied teacher, North Palmerston
International
Nathanael Yates - academic, Perth
Daniel Stott - teacher, Melbourne
Euan McDonald - Minister, Ipswich
Vic Matthews - Theologian, Moruya
Sophia Sinclair - Editor, Christchurch
Deidre Tronson - retired academic, Camden
Sport
Peter Nelson - AIS chaplain, Canberra
Simon Farrer - teacher, Melbourne
Andrew Bennett - teacher, Mole River
David Burr - Barrister, Melbourne
Tim Wilson - Corporate, Canada
These are the dedicated people who engaged in the concentrated effort to ascertain the 2016 annual 'Basil Sellers' young writer awards. This is a quite special and humbly remarkable group of people in the service of the Lord. One of the Panellists said that she takes her role as a "community elder' very seriously.
Now to 2017 with the marking period commencing the third week of January.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html