Yesterday, April 12, 2005, my wife went to Tazewell to check our post office box. We haven't checked that post office box since late December/early January. It isn't our primary mailing address, therefore, we honestly hadn't given any thought about checking it.
When she returned home, she gave me a huge envelope from Blue Ridge Outdoors. Enclosed was a B.R.O. magazine titled "Best Of The Outdoors: 2004 Readers' Choice Awards." It was sent sometime back in January. Earmarked was page 10, where they featured me as their '2004 Hiker of the Year'. Also enclosed was a certificate of congratulations for being the 2004 Southeastern Hiker of the Year.
As humbling as it was to learn if this, I am returning the award, as it isn't rightfully mine to keep. Personal honesty and integrity will not allow me to keep it, and I am ashamed for even considering keeping it. It was given under the assumption that I'd completed the trail in November, as was the original plan. However, my brother's suicide changed all of that. I guess news of that didn't reach the editors of B.R.O. in time to make the necessary change, and I hope that it isn't too late now to rectify this situation.
Honorable mention went to "Easy One" for being the oldest hiker, at age 81, to complete the trail. It is my hope that they will take the award from me and rightfully give it to Easy One.
Thank you,
Scott 'One-Leg' Rogers