The Sunshine Awards Organization has cancelled the live event of this year's Sunshine Awards Program. The cancellation of the 33rd Sunshine Awards was announced in New Jersey on September 1. Concern over the pandemic has led to the live event being dropped from the annual October presentation.
Chairman and founder of the awards Gil Figaro said at the announcement that he was overwhelmed by the support for the programme. However, he noted that "nothing is more important to the Sunshine Awards Organization than the health and safety of families, supporters and community," a media release said.
"I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and phone calls we have received about this year's programme. These affirmations further underscore the fact that the Sunshine Awards Program bridges the gap between excellence and recognition.
The impact of the coronavirus outbreak, felt around the world and here across the United States, has caused anxiety, fear, frustration and extreme concern for human life," Figaro said in the release.
"The Sunshine Awards Organization understands these challenges and the difficulties they present to families. Much has changed in the world, and nothing is more important to the Sunshine Awards Organization than the health and safety of families, supporters and community. Thank you for your support through the years and I hope that you and your families stay healthy and safe during this challenging time.”
Dr Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool, co-founder of the Sunshine Awards Hall of Fame and chairman of the Nomination Network Committee is expecting to have some type of awards presentation later in the year.
"Because of the pandemic, we are forced to cancel our many bodily hugs, handshakes, and other forms of greetings, but your contributions to the arts, and your many cultural performances will yet be esteemed when our distribution of awards eventually take place later this year," Liverpool said in the release.
He said recipients will be contacted by October 10 and their awards will be sent by mail.
"We will continue the journey to accomplish our goals, objectives, and mission by seeking and researching nominees for this year's Sunshine Awards Program. The recipients will be contacted by October 10, and a public announcement will follow. The awards will then be mailed to the recipients. We will thus, ride the waves provided us by modern-day logistics to dispatch our trophies and plaques, realising that viruses cannot still the tremor of our artistic hearts."
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