Grant Haven Media’s publications received multiple awards at the recent Ontario Community Newspaper Association convention in Collingwood. Attending the awards ceremony were, from left, Publisher Stewart Grant; Regional Editor Galen Simmons; Director of Business Development Heather Dunbar; Reporter Jeff Tribe; Tillsonburg Post Editor Jeff Helsdon; Simcoe Advocate Editor Chris Abbott; and Reporter Amanda Nelson.
Grant Haven Media’s publications enjoyed significant success at the Ontario Community Newspaper Association awards.
The Better Newspaper Competition took place in Collingwood on April 24, showcasing community newspapers competing across various categories.
Simcoe Advocate Editor Chris Abbott earned first place in the 2025 Best Sports Section category.
Simcoe Advocate contributor Jeff Tribe won the Best Business and Finance Story category for his piece on Norfolk’s wineries and micro-breweries. Additionally, Tribe secured second place for Best Guest/Freelance ist.
Tillsonburg Post editor Jeff Helsdon was honored with the prestigious Reporter of the Year Stephen Shaw Award. Helsdon also placed third for Best Business Feature.
Tribe, Abbott, and Helsdon were all long-time colleagues at Tillsonburg News back in the day.
Michelle Foster from Simcoe Advocate received an Honourable Mention in the Best Creative Ad category, along with Erin Parsons from St. Marys Independent and Sarah Cairns for Stratford Times. Parsons won first place for Local Retail Outlet ad, while Tillsonburg Post designer Stacie Eden got an honourable mention for Best Use of Colour.
The late Bill Pratt, a long-time editor of Tillsonburg News and former OCNA president, was inducted into the OCNA Hall of Fame during the event.
Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette Editor Galen Simmons placed third in the Health and Wellness story category.
Michelle Malvaso from The Paris Independent took home Photographer of the Year award. The Independent also received two third-place finishes: Edward Lander in Arts and Entertainment category and Chris Whelan for Best Editorial .
Woodstock Ingersoll Echo’s farm edition for 2025 was awarded second place for Best Special Section.
Connor Luczka, editor of Stratford Times, came in second for Best Editorial among circulation 8,000 and under. Amanda Nelson from The Times secured second place in Most Creative Grip and Grin Photo category while also getting an honourable mention for her featuring Canadian musician Loreena Mc Kennitt as a guest/freelance writer.
“Given that we were a small one-newspaper operation just a few years ago , it was pretty surreal to attend this gala with so many talented team members , and I was thrilled to see them recognized by their peers,” said Grant Haven publisher Stewart Grant , who was appointed as new President of OCNA.
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