Smiley Pete Publishing founders and owners, Chris Eddie and Chuck Creacy, received the prestigious 2013 Spirit Award, presented by the Lexington Forum at the organization’s annual State of the Merged Government Address, a luncheon that provides the city’s sitting mayor an opportunity to address a broad spectrum of local leaders. Smiley Pete Publishing is the parent company of this magazine.
Each year the Lexington Forum recognizes an individual or group that has made a meaningful change in the Bluegrass by giving back to the community through volunteerism. The criteria of this award are based solely on the nominee’s caring contributions to the community.
In citing Eddie, Creacy and their company, the Forum said: “Smiley Pete Publishing has served as a consistent, ardent and significant supporter of the Lexington community in general and its arts scene, in particular. Over the years since its launch in 1997, this local, independent publisher of Business Lexington, Chevy Chaser and Southsider magazines, as well as the new arts & entertainment website tadoo.com, has enlightened readers about a broad range of community issues, key events and local personalities.”
Previous recipients of the Lexington Forum Spirit Award include: Alan Stein, 2012; Cornelia “Neal” Vaughn, 2011; Ginny Ramsey, 2010; Dr. David Stephens, 2009; and Isabelle Yates, 2008.
In other Smiley Pete Publishing news: The company’s 2012 Good Giving Guide Challenge, an online charitable campaign conducted in a partnership with the Blue Grass Community Foundation, raised over $586,000 on behalf of 68 local and regional nonprofit organizations. The goal for the challenge, which ran from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2012, was $400,000.
This was the second year for the project. In its first year, the Good Giving challenge raised approximately $204,000 in donations to participating nonprofits.