THE 2025 AMBASSADOR SERIES AWARDS

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x online presents 

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The Ambassador Series Awards Party

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By Jerry Dietrich
with photos by Bruce Fisher

January 24, 2026 – Olde Spaghetti Factory, Tacoma

When  I arrived at the 2025 Silver Strider Awards Party, Nancy and Larry Larsen, Diane Martin, Bruce and Judy Fisher and Heidi Long were already at work getting the banquet room ready. 

By 12:10 most of the guests had arrived and were seated.

I opened the meeting by asking for a moment of silence for departed Silver Strider, Jahna Prine.

– moment of silence –

Resuming, I introduced Bruce Fisher, the man that makes the magazine what it is, then party contributors, Nancy Larsen, Molly Childs, Diane Martin (party chairperson), Brent White, Tiare Bailey  and Larry Larsen.

Next I introduced our newest sponsor who will be co-sponsoring the Grand Prix Series 2026, Barbara Prine.

I adjourned the party at 12:15 pm for our lunch break.

I reconvened at 1:00 to begin our awards presentations.

I introduced our 2026 10k Champions present. They were, Amanda Hoskins W50-54, Michael Magnussen M55-59, Rikki Bouge W60-64, Scott Gaines M60-64, Keith Lerew M65-69, Steve Husko M70-74, Barb Johnson W75-79, Steven Boyer M75-79, Judy Fisher W80-84, John Phillips M80-84 and myself M90-94. 

Next came the Presentation of the Century Club Plaques. I introduced the chairperson, Kimmer Muenz. Those receiving were, Dennis Zaborac, Jim Dollar (posthumously), Kent Sizer, Bob Davies, Karl Johnson and Diane Martin.

Next up was our first drawing, Diane Martin was in charge of procuring the prizes and Bruce Fisher conducted the drawings. We had 10 winners.

Then on to the main order of business, the presentation of the awards to the Ambassador Series winners.

The age group winners were:

Next to be presented were the Achievement Awards. This year the achievement awards were given to those who worn a Silver Strider shirt, singlet, hat or visor to every series race they ran during 2025. The award was called an ambassadorship. The award consisted of an Olympic Torch trophy and a Olympic Torch lapel pin. Just like Olympic athletes competed as ambassadors of their respective countries, Silver Striders who wore the Strider apparel were ambassadors of the Silver Strider magazine.

The final drawing was to award the Grand Prize, “A Day At The Races”, courtesy of Audrey Kirkwood.  And the winner was…. Charlea Sherman

Mr.  Grand Pix and Ms. Grand Prix are honorary titles given each year to the man and woman who completed the most Series races. Mr. Grand Prix for 2025 is Karl Johnson who completed 29 series races, and Ms. Grand Prix for 2025 is Judy Fisher with with 28 series races.

And that brought us to our final and highest award. “Silver Strider Of The Year”. This honor can only be won once. The previous winners can be found in the “Silver Strider Hall Of Fame”.

I wanted the award to be unique. All past winners received plaques. We always gave trophies to our Series finishers. I wondered what we get if we crossed a plaque with a trophy? The answer was “a plaphy”.

And so, it was announced that the “Silver Strider Of The Year” for 2025 was Karl Johnson and he would receive the first “plaphy”.

The Silver Strider Of The Year award always concludes our awards party program for 2025.

We adjourned to the restaurant building’s enclosed entrance area for a group photo by Bruce Fisher.

Next up is the Super Athlete awards party on February the 21st.

All are welcome to attend and give recognition to our Super Athletes for 2025.