Below is the Acceptance Speech for the first annual Lee D’Anjou Award for Volunteerism, delivered May 29, 2010:
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by Cy Strom

Thank you to the selection committee and to my colleagues, especially the colleagues who worked on Meeting Professional Editorial Standards and subjected themselves to a punishing schedule this past winter and spring.

First, I really need to emphasize that I was working as part of a team on the Meeting Professional Editorial Standards proofreading exercises, and this award rightfully belongs to that team.

Je faisais partie de l’équipe de bénévoles qui a fait la mise à jour du manuel Meeting Professional Editorial Standards (une série d’exercices et leurs corrigés et explications, basés sur les normes anglaises, dont la présentation s’est faite toute à l’heure). Mais c’est réellement toute l’équipe qui mérite cette reconnaissance.

And you know, I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if not for a series of strategic mistakes that I made. C’est vrai. Je suis là ce soir à cause d’une série de bavures que j’ai faites. J’ai mal planifié. Poor planning. I meant to have a simple coordinating and consultative role and leave all the hard slogging to other people. But things fell out otherwise, I guess. Although, I do remember saying, in an early phone conference, that the problems we could expect to arise on the project were more than I could articulate over the telephone. By and large they did arise.

J’ai essayé de m’assurer un petit rôle de coordination dans le projet, mais, en fin de compte, c’était toute une frénésie d’activités. Une frénésie passagère, à vrai dire.

A burst of frenzied activity can look more impressive than it really is, which goes to show that if you thrash and flail for a moment or two, you’re apt to get noticed. But there are so many in this association who really do have a vocation for volunteerism. These people take on the offices and responsibilities that require long-term, sustained effort. They’re all around this room. They keep EAC alive. La majorité des bénévoles au sein de l’Association — ceux qui la font vivre — font un travail extraordinaire et à long terme... pas comme moi-même, d’ailleurs. On m’a approché pour ce projet il y a trois, quatre ans au moment où je tenais un verre de vin dans chaque main — un moment de faiblesse, bien entendu.

The original Meeting Editorial Standards is a book that I had a hand in writing years ago, but that I had no desire to revisit. So what happened? I was approached with the request while standing in line in Edmonton a few summers ago, with a glass of wine in each hand. I must’ve felt at a moral disadvantage. Only one glass was for me.

Now, since I’m standing up here and holding this award in my hand, I realize that it’s my duty to encourage other volunteers to step forward, il m’incombe d’encourager les autres... non pas forcément au sens voltairien de l’expression!

I think EAC survives on the work of its many volunteers. I’ve had the good example of the volunteers who served for years on the Professional Standards Committee, giving their best as thinkers, writers, editors and administrators. I’d simply be embarrassed if I couldn’t emulate them at least a little bit. So, I’ve found that volunteering in EAC means working with excellent people and learning from them.

Any editor who wants to see EAC thrive can find something to contribute. Look for some area that interests you or a task that helps you out professionally, and try to spot openings with those editors whom you think of as your ideal colleagues.

Thank you again. Merci!