More than 400 attended St. Louis Public Radio’s annual dinner Talk, Toast, Taste at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. Thanks to the event committee co-chaired by Judy Glik and Harvard Muhm, the STLPR board led by Diane Katzman, and enthusiastic fans of St. Louis Public Radio and NPR, the event raised $180,000.
NPR's Weekend Edition Host Lulu Garcia-Navarro was the guest of honor. In her address, she referred to the challenges journalists face. "What's it like to report the news right now?" she asked. "News these days is a tsunami. It's hard to determine what matters from day to day. Gumshoe reporting is essential to democracy. Transparency is important. What is it that people need to know? What communities are we not hearing from?"
Golden Microphone Award Winners
After dinner, St. Louis on the Air Host Don Marsh introduced the winners of the Golden Microphone Awards. Presented annually, these awards recognize individuals and companies for their lasting contributions, outstanding service, and generosity to the station and the communities it serves. This year's awardees include Sharon Bower, the Missouri Historical Society, and Barbara Eagleton.
Sharon Bower
Sharon Bower has been a member of St. Louis Public Radio since 1995. She is a member of the Cornerstone Society, Legacy Society, as well as a regular volunteer. An excellent ambassador for the station, Sharon has brought a number of friends into the St. Louis Public Radio family, giving them tours and inviting them to join the Cornerstone Society. Each week, she makes the staff’s work easier, better, and the station a little brighter.
I'm so pleased to accept this lovely honor from an institution I consider one of St Louis’ finest jewels. Five years ago when I decided to become a Cornerstone Member, I also signed on to volunteer weekly at the station and was placed in the development department. What fun it has been! I'm impressed with the dedication of all the friends I've made there and feel privileged to be recognized. -- Sharon Bower
Missouri Historical Society
For more than two decades, the Missouri Historical Society has been an invaluable partner and corporate supporter of St. Louis Public Radio. From serving as the starting place for Generation Listen STL’s MetroQuest, to hosting St. Louis on the Air in their beautiful Lee Auditorium, the Missouri Historical Society has played a pivotal role in helping the station bring the St. Louis community together around important issues. A few years ago, President and CEO Fran Levine and St. Louis Public Radio General Manager Tim Eby stood together on the steps of the Missouri History Museum to welcome the Storycorps Mobile Recording Studio, an event that perfectly illustrated the natural relationship between St. Louis Public Radio’s commitment to telling today’s stories and the Missouri Historical Society’s dedication to preserving those stories for the generations to come. Fran Levine and Yvette Hartsfield accepted the award.
Barbara Eagleton
Barbara Eagleton has been an influential figure to many organizations in St. Louis, including St. Louis Public Radio. She has supported the station since we began recording contributions, joined the St. Louis Public Radio Board in 2006, and served two terms. Always a leader in our region’s political discourse, Barbara has been an active supporter of our political coverage. She hosted an event with former NPR Political Junkie Ken Rudin, and in 2016 served as honorary co-chair of Talk, Toast, Taste, a year which raised support for St. Louis Public Radio’s political coverage. She is a leading advocate for the station in the St. Louis community.
John and Charlotte Martin Awarded the Millard Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award
Michele Steinberg presented the Millard Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award named in honor of her late father. The award was established in 2006 to honor individuals who, like Millard, have served St. Louis public radio with unwavering passion and long term dedication. Steinberg presented the award to John and Charlotte Martin.
The Martins, who’ve been members since 2003, have been deeply involved with St. Louis Public Radio for many years. Long-time and generous supporters of education, they view St. Louis Public Radio as an important educational outlet in a time when news has become more opinion and entertainment than fact. They feel that St. Louis Public Radio and NPR’s focus on facts underscores the importance of a free press.
In October of 2011, Charlotte joined the St. Louis Public Radio Board and served two terms. She has also provided her counsel as a campaign committee member and enthusiastic friend of the station. In addition to co-chairing Talk Toast Taste for a number of years, John and Charlotte have hosted events in their home to raise friends and funds for the station. They were also generous contributors to the Greatness at Grand Center Campaign, and have made a commitment to keeping public radio strong for the future by naming St. Louis Public Radio in their will.
Centerpieces, photo props, and a https://youtu.be/7LIZBnHlMOY" target="_blank">short video reflected the evening's theme and station's new tagline, Your Community. Your World., a nod to its distinction as an NPR Member Station and its regional, national, and international news coverage.
Throughout the week, we'll add more pictures from Talk, Toast, Taste, on Facebook and Instagram. Follow us @stlpublicradio.
