HONORING SANDI DUNCAN-CLARK

Some people are just plain special!  Such is the case with Sandi Duncan-Clark.  I know that many of you are familiar with Sandi through her former reporting with the US Gospel News and now with us right here on the Southern Gospel Music Forum.  If you are familiar with her work, you know she is a great journalist!  For those of you that have had the opportunity to get to meet Sandi, you also know that she is a great person!  Sandi has contributed much to the southern Gospel music industry over the years and some of us decided that it was time we honored her for those contributions!

It all began with John Mills.  John is the moderator of all of the discussion lists that are associated with the Southern Gospel Music Forum.  John decided that we were going to make February, Sandi Duncan-Clark Month on the email lists!  This turned out to be a popular decision as list member after list member wrote about the way Sandi had touched their lives.

The next step began with Dee Ann Bailey.  Dee Ann is a member of the lists on the Southern Gospel Music Forum and she is writer and a huge fan of southern Gospel music.  Dee Ann contacted John about putting together some kind of an award for Sandi and presenting it to her at an upcoming concert that both Dee Ann and Sandi would be attending!  John got behind it and was certain that the list members would too!  There was a problem though!  We wanted it to be a surprise and Sandi is also a part of our lists!  So John, using a little "moderator magic" sent a message to the lists without Sandi knowing it and the plan was in place.  Many people on the list contributed to the fund that was started.  I became involved as the webmaster for the Southern Gospel Music Forum, when I was asked, and quickly and enthusiastically agreed, to post the information on the award presentation on the website!

Finally, it was time for the "big night."  Neither John nor I were able to be there so I am going to post Dee Ann's account of the events of the evening:

What a great surprise we pulled off!  Sandi was gone and on no mail earlier when my 'slip up' happened on one of the lists.  So tonight she was totally taken by surprise! 

Palmetto State Quartet was gracious enough to allow me time during their homecoming to present to Sandi the 'Well-Done Award' plaque, honoring this precious lady for her work in SGM.  Thinking she was going to do a 'commercial' for US Gospel News she came into the auditorium just as Tony (Peace) introduced me.

With that I was able to bring Sandi to the stage and thank her for your contribution to SGM, present her with the award plaque, a dozen roses and a card containing 'a dinner' for she and her husband.  The only thing I regret is that her husband was not able to be there.

I was so excited to be a part of this tribute to this lovely lady and was thrilled to see the crowd honor her with a standing ovation. 

Thanks to all that took part in this great surprise for a terrific lady!!!!

Dee

John also would like to thank Dee for the great job she did at getting all of this done!  As I said before, this was her idea!  Dee did most of the work to make this a success and all of us here at the Southern Gospel Music Forum and each of our email lists, wants to give her a great big thank you!  Also, a quick thank you for each of the people that contributed in some way to honoring Sandi.

There is not much else to say except thank you Sandi!  Thank you for your unbiased journalism, thank you for the friendships, thank you for being a champion for everyone (both the well-known and the not-so-well-known)!  Thank you for your great spirit, thank you for your servant's heart and thank you for you Godly Nature.  Thank you for being Sandi Duncan-Clark!

There is one final item that I want to share with you.  Shortly after all of this took place, Sandi sent this message out.  I want to share it with you:

Ann, John, Scott and all of you precious people,

What a surprise! I'm speechless, and so humbled by your love and thoughtfulness. I can not believe you would honor the Lord's use for my small talent in such a gracious manner. I wish I could hug all of you, and tell you what you mean to me.

I will tell you this, Ann did a great job. We were gone for the most of last week and my son was taking care of the home front. He knew about this and still did not tell Mom! Just wait till he gets home!  (smile.)

I love you all, and I love the privilege of sharing in your ministry. I can't think of a better way to give back what God has blessed with. Someday, when we all get to heaven, I'll be able to tell you.

Sandi