Duluth, Minnesota - November 8, 2000

Once again, Lake Superior Magazine took home gold awards from the Minnesota Publishing Excellence Awards sponsored by the Minnesota Magazine & Publications Association. Judges granted six gold awards and one bronze to the magazine for stories and design.

The magazine earned the top slot in “Overall Excellence” and “Overall Design” for General Interest Magazine with a circulation under 50,000 at the fourth annual awards, presented in Minneapolis on November 2, 2000.

“This magazine is filled with stunning photography and very good reporting and writing,” judges said in choosing Lake Superior Magazine for the Overall Excellence gold honor. “One of the most impressive aspects of Lake Superior Magazine is that it creates a genuine sense of place, deep and true, that embraces the water, the woods, the people, the history and the future. The tone is upbeat, but the magazine includes some aggressive journalism.”

For Overall Design, the judges wrote: “Extremely refreshing, articles show great appreciation and insight into Lake Superior area. Beautiful photos, creative use of colors and graphics in articles. Interesting use of type to set the tone of the articles.”

The magazine also won a gold honor for Best Use of Visuals for its “Working the Woods” article about sustainable forestry which was featured in the February/March 2000 issue.

In a surprise move, the judges decided to award two gold honors in the Best Feature Article category, both to stories featured in Lake Superior Magazine. “Fire!” by area author and firefighter Peter Leschak, featured in the April/May 2000 issue, described firefighting in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. “Working the Woods” by the magazine’s managing editor, Konnie LeMay, examined sustainable forestry around Lake Superior.

In the Best Single Topic Issue category, Lake Superior Magazine got a gold award for its 20th anniversary issue of August/September 1999. “Really shows in writing and art/design a love and appreciation for the audience the magazine is geared towards,” wrote the judges of this issue. “Wonderful reflection section on the bits of story highlights over 20 years. Not having even been in the area, you gain a great appreciation and desire to visit.”

In addition to the gold awards, the magazine earned a bronze honor for its April/May 2000 cover design that featured kayakers in Pukaskwa National Park in Ontario taken by photographers/adventurers/authors Gary and Joanie McGuffin. 

Lake Superior Magazine, a full-color consumer publication entering its 22nd year, is published six times a year in Duluth, Minnesota. The family-owned magazine is available by subscription, at newsstands and from the publisher's office at 325 Lake Avenue South, Suite 600, Duluth, Minnesota 55802. For more information, call 888-BIG LAKE (244-5253). On the web, it can be found at www.lakesuperior.com