We’ve been doing this since 2001, so we know our way around the trophy-lined block. We ask you to tell us who among us are the best at doing the best things and we, in kind, report the goods to you. It’s the Watermark Awards for Variety in Excellence moment in our being, and we’re bursting at the staples to let you know just to whom this popularity contest lends its crowns. Is it you? Simply look inside, try not to look vain and laugh at your glory (if it is in fact you) and giggle when necessary.
No, there will be no Oscar missteps or terrible Grammy tributes, but there will in fact be plenty of surprises. This year we had a record response to our polling – which makes both us and the winners happy – and we spent countless hours creating paper cuts out of thin internet air to tabulate the votes. Initially, we had you drop names like microphones into a giant electronic bucket, whether there were spelling issues or not. Then we pulled a second round of reasonably corrected names and places from which you would choose those who most represent the land that is known as Florida.
You did a great job.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the importance of this year’s WAVEs, especially as all eyes have been on Florida and all minds have been on tragedy and politics. So, from the bottom of our heart, thank you for participating and congratulations to all the nominees and winners. We couldn’t do this without you. We really couldn’t do anything without you.
So let’s raise a glass to a better future, dance a jig to getting through it, sing a song for those we’re honoring and grab a hand of the ones we love. We can be heroes. That’s what the WAVEs are all about. Thank you.
