With over 100 attendees filling out the La Porte Civic Auditorium this Thursday, November 30, GreatNews.Life’s Good Life Awards returned in style after a five year hiatus. The awards ceremony honoring the people working tirelessly to keep the Region great took place over a champagne breakfast that kept things light and jovial.
The Good Life Awards began as an extension of GreatNews.Life’s mission of celebrating the good things happening in Northwest Indiana. This year’s class of inductees included Gena DeMuth, interim Chief Nursing Officer for Northwest Health - Porter, New Media Journalist for GreatNews.Life; Dave Uran, President and CEO of the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority; Gene Crusie, CEO of Surf Internet; Craig Harrell, Chief Marketing Officer of Center for Hospice Care; Mary Fetsch, Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications at Community Healthcare System; and Tom Dermody, Mayor of the City of La Porte.
“They really care about spreading positivity, and they have the willingness to do something about it,” said GreatNews.Life Founder Chris Mahlmann. “These are people who step forward with courage not just because it’s inspiring but because it's good, and good actually matters to them.”
These six honorees join an alumni list containing 42 of Northwest Indiana’s most influential business leaders, political figures, and community organizers. Honorees are handpicked by Mahlmann using his close connection to all things good in the Region.
Following the announcement of each award, honorees gave a short speech regarding what the award means to them. Even though each new inductee came from a different industry, all of their speeches discussed how their work and this recognition connected them to the Region.
Harrell has been a supporter of GreatNews.Life’s business for years. WIth his move to the South Bend area, he was happy to invite GreatNews.Life to follow.
“If you've been involved with this company for any length of time, you realize that the enthusiasm is contagious,” he said. “We meet some really great people and have great stories to share with the community. it's like a breath of fresh air to have the opportunity to share their stories.”
DeMuth began working at GreatNews.Life after her son left for college. She had seen the black polos at many of her son’s sporting events, so with the extra time she found herself with, she reached out to begin working with the digital media company.
“Out of the blue, I reached out to GreatNews.Life, and I offered to work for free,” DeMuth said. “After every event, I would rush home to see if they’d captured a picture of my son, and to be able to do that for other families has always been the most important part for me. It's been just so impressive and inspiring when I realize how much of an impact GreatNews.Life makes.”
On top of awarding people improving Northwest Indiana, the Good Life Awards provided an excellent opportunity for GreatNews.Life’s partners to get together and connect with the digital news network and each other.
Service Doctor has been a long-standing proponent of GreatNews.Life and its mission. The organization served as a premier event sponsor of the Good Life Awards. Sales Manager Angela Popovich was happy to have a hand in bringing the awards ceremony back.
“GreatNews.Life is something my husband and I have always supported,” she said. “It's a good cause, and I’ve always been a fan. I encourage anyone to become part of it.”
Interested in seeing some of the previous honorees? Check out the previous ceremonies to get to know the other 42 alumni!
GreatNews.Life is dedicated to spreading the positive things happening throughout Northern Indiana. To learn more, visit greatnews.life or follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.