"Power of Purpose" Awards: Photo Gallery
When we found out about the Power of Purpose Award, Augie Turak—the award winner, and the founder of the Self Knowledge Symposium—along with SKS Executive Director Ed Cheely and SKS Treasurer Eric Clark, were already planning to visit Mepkin Abbey for the 90th birthday celebration of Father Christian Carr. Father Christian, as you'll remember from the essay, gave Augie the quote from Pascal: "You would not seek me if you had not already found me. And you would not have found me if I had not first found you."
Here are some pictures from the event. A few of them look better really big, so you can click them to see a larger image.
Augie Turak, Brother John, and Ed Cheely
Father Christian, Kit Luce from the Henry Luce Foundation, and Augie Turak
Eric Clark (with his back to us), Orin McCluskey (a good friend of both Mepkin Abbey and the SKS), Kit Luce
Father Francis, Abbott of Mepkin Abbey, and Augie Turak
Shortly following our trip to Mepkin we made the BIG TRIP up to New York for the unbelievable Power of Purpose Awards event put on by the Templeton Foundation at the Four Seasons. Attending the event were many of Augie's family: Dad (Augie Sr.) and brothers Tom, Dan, and Mark, Augie's good friend and business partner Jay Hall, as well as Ed Cheely and Steve Grubbs, CEO of PHD's US Division and Board Member of the SKS Foundation. What made the entire ceremony, however, was that Brother John was able to leave the monastery for the first time in years to attend the event.
The following pictures are from dinner the night before, along with the other contest winners, the Templeton Foundation, and Lionheart Press, which handled the event logistics and publicity.
Augie Sr., Augie, Brother John, Michael Reagan from Lionheart Press, and Co. (Click for larger image)
Clio Mallin from the Templeton Foundation, Ed, Deb Murphy from Lionheart Press, and the Turaks
Augie Turak Sr., Augie, and Brother John on full stomachs
Brother John in heated debate with Michael Reagan
The awards ceremony the next day was truly a five star event. It brought together leaders from foundations including the Templeton Foundation and the Metanexus Institute, reporters and editors from publishing houses such as Random House, and featured a great introduction from Rick Warren, the author of The Purpose Driven Life and one of the judges for the contest:
Dr. John M. Templeton, Jr., President of the Templeton Foundation, Augie, and Brother John
Augie Turak Sr., Augie, and Steve Grubbs
Rick Warren greeting Augie Turak Sr., watched by Tom Turak
Rick Warren's introduction
Augie receiving the grand prize award from Michael Reagan. (Nobody we've told has believed us, but Augie kept his acceptance speech to under two minutes! He thanked his family, mentors and friends, including Richard Rose, Lou Mobley, Bishop William Willimon, everyone in the SKS, and of course, the monks at Mepkin. Click for larger image.)
The top five winners
The winners with everyone from Lionheart Press, and friends and family. (Click for larger image.)
Clockwise from top left: Tom Turak, Dan Turak, Augie, Mark Turak, Jay Hall, and Augie Turak Sr. (Click for larger image.)
Possibly the most exciting opportunity following the contest was the chance to meet Sir John Templeton himself during his recent trip to Philadelphia to open the Templeton Foundation's new offices. The trip also included meetings with numerous publishing houses, editors, and literary agents, all of whom have contacted Augie Turak in the hopes of working with him on future writing projects. Stay tuned!
Augie Turak and Sir John Templeton
Return to Brother John Web page
