FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BUDWEISER,
BIODIVERSITY PROJECT ANNOUNCE GREAT LAKES
PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS
ST.
LOUIS (Sept. 7, 2008) – Sometimes a picture can say a thousand words
– and such is the case for photos taken by Steven Huyser-Honig and Brenda
Jones that showcase the beauty and majesty of the Great Lakes.
Huyser-Honig,
a professional photographer from Grand Rapids, Mich., and Jones, an amateur photographer from Bartlett, Ill.,
were voted grand-prize winners in the Great Lakes Forever photo contest conducted
by the Biodiversity Project’s Great Lakes Forever program and Budweiser
beer.
The
contest was designed to select the best professional and amateur photographs of
the Great Lakes and to raise public awareness about improving the health of the
Great Lakes. More than 85 amateur and
professional photographers entered more than 220 photos this summer, and photos
by Huyser-Honig (titled “November Gale”)
and Jones (“Glowing Rocks – Lake
Superior”) were chosen as the best by more than 550 people who
voted online in August.
The
grand prize winners in both categories will have their original photographs
printed on the 2008 Great Lakes Forever/Budweiser beer coasters, to be
distributed to bars and restaurants in eight Great Lakes
states and two Canadian provinces. To view the photos, visit www.greatlakesforever.org.
“The
Great Lakes are an incredible resource, not
only economically, but also in terms of biodiversity, culture and personal
identity,” said Jennifer Browning, executive director of the Biodiversity
Project, home of the Great Lakes Forever program. “We sometimes forget
that despite the tremendous size of these lakes, we can affect their well-being
by what we do in our daily lives.”
The other finalists were Stacy Niedzwiecki of Rockford, Mich., and
Lester Graham of Clinton, Mich.,
in the professional category, and Cathy Havedink of Hamilton, Mich., and
Frank Koshere of Superior,
Wisc., in the amateur category.
In
addition to printing the winning photographs on the 2008 beer coasters, Huyser-Honig
and Jones will receive Budweiser merchandise. All of the photos by the six
finalists will be placed on the 2008 Great Lakes Forever/Budweiser Great Lakes
Poster that will be available through participating Anheuser-Busch wholesalers,
as well as receive recognition on the Great Lakes Forever Web site.
“On
behalf of Budweiser, we’d like to congratulate Steven, Brenda and all of the
finalists for their beautiful photos of the Great Lakes,”
said Bob Fishbeck, product manager for the Budweiser brand. “The photo
contest is not only about recognizing their talents, but reminding consumers
about the importance of protecting the Great Lakes
as a valuable resource for the region and our country.”
Great
Lakes Forever is a program of the Biodiversity Project, based out of Chicago. Since its
creation in 2004, Great Lakes Forever has become a source for public education
and action programs that help strengthen the movement to protect the Great Lakes. Budweiser has joined with the Biodiversity
Project to help sponsor initiatives and projects of Great Lakes Forever since
2005. In addition to
supporting the coaster photo contest, Budweiser has made a $20,000 donation to
Great Lakes Forever for education and awareness programs that focus on
protecting water quality and conserving water.
Budweiser is brewed by Anheuser‑Busch,
the leading American brewer that holds a 48.5 percent share of U.S.
beer sales. Based in St. Louis,
the company brews the world’s largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud
Light. Anheuser‑Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico’s
leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in China
brewer Tsingtao, whose namesake beer brand is
the country’s best-selling premium beer. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1
among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine’s Most Admired U.S.
and Global Companies lists in 2008. Anheuser‑Busch is one of the largest
theme park operators in the United
States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum
cans and one of the world’s largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more
information, visit www.OurPledge.com.
For more
information on the 2008 Great Lakes Forever Photo Contest, visit www.greatlakesforever.org or
contact Jennifer Browning, executive director of the Biodiversity Project, by
phone at 773-496-4020 or via email at jbrowning@biodiverse.org.
# # #
Brenna Wanous
Great Lakes Town
Hall Manager
Great Lakes Forever Program
Assistant
Biodiversity Project
214 N. Henry St. #201
Madison, WI
53703
(work) 608-250-9876
(cell) 608-886-0020
bwanous@biodiverse.org
Life. Nature. You. Make the Connection.
www.greatlakestownhall.org
www.greatlakesforever.org
www.biodiversityproject.org