AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
9.0  AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
AADB sponsors four (4) awards which are presented at each conference, and the Board may assign the Awards Committee to recognize others if deemed appropriate.  This section deals with the Policies and Procedures in the following topics:
* Awards
* Awards Policies
* Awards Procedures
9.1 AWARDS 
9.1.1 Laura D. Bridgman Memorial Award
 The Laura D. Bridgman Memorial Award is presented to a deaf-blind individual for outstanding achievement in meeting the challenge of deaf-blindness, thus providing encouragement and inspiration to other deaf-blind citizens of the world.
9.1.2 John J. Murphy Memorial Award
 The John J. Murphy Memorial Award is presented to an individual for being a devoted friend and ambassador by promoting the interests and well being of deaf-blind Americans.
9.1.3 Peter J. Salmon Memorial Award 
The Peter J. Salmon Memorial Award is presented to an individual for years of dedicated and outstanding service to deaf-blind Americans.
9.1.4 AADB Special Service Award
 The AADB Special Service Award is presented to an individual for devoted and outstanding service to AADB and its special interests and goals.
9.2 AWARDS POLICIES
* Members of the Board and the Awards Committee and their significant partners may not nominate or be nominated for awards.  However, if there are no acceptable nominations for a specific award, the Awards Committee can make a nomination for that award.
* Anyone other than those mentioned above can nominate people for the awards, regardless of whether they are deaf-blind, and regardless of whether they are AADB members.
* The awards are presented to individual people, not to organizations or companies.  Each person may nominate no more than one person for each award.
9.3 AWARDS PROCEDURES
9.3.1 Procedure for Selecting Award Recipients
> Publish a call for nominations for AADB awards in the October – December and the January – March issues of the DEAF-BLIND AMERICAN (deadlines are August 15 and November 15), as well as in other appropriate media such as internet networks and web sites.  The name and description of each award, including criteria for selection as well as the rules for nomination, will be included in the call for nominations.  The deadline for nominations will be March 31.
> Each person may nominate no more than one person for each award.  The person who nominates must give the nominee’s name and a brief statement of why the nominee deserves the award.  The reason for nomination should match the purpose of the award.
> The Committee will discuss and select recipients for each award.  If two nominees are equal, the committee will choose one who has longer service and/or more impact on deaf-blind community and service agencies.
> The Committee will write brief statements about the recipients and report to the President by May 1.
> The Board will review the Committee’s report.  After the Board approves the selection of recipients, the Chair of the Awards Committee will notify the winners before their names are announced to the membership, and will arrange for the names of the award recipients to be announced in the DEAF-BLIND AMERICAN before and/or after the conference.
> The Awards Committee will select who will present each award to the recipients, and will have the Home Office get an appropriate award (plaque, trophy, medal, etc.) to present to each recipient.
> The awards will be presented during the national conference at the banquet or other appropriate occasion.  	Each presenter will give a brief statement about the recipient before presenting the award, and the award recipients may give short acceptance speeches.
> If a recipient cannot attend the banquet, the Home Office will ship the award to the recipient’s home within two weeks after the conference, or the recipient can send someone to the conference to accept the award on his or her behalf.