Golden Knuckle Award (aka Gizmo)
		“You pay to give it and not to get it!” At the 1987 Spring Conference, Pat Napolitano, a past president (1985) presented to the then-President Hugh Kalani a big, rusty “hunk of iron” which was actually a part of a train-coupling mechanism that Pat had scrounged from the railroad yards near Hermiston. President Hugh embellished the award by adding steel wheels that came from an “antique” International truck. The award was later named the “Golden Knuckle Award,” but it is best known by its nickname – The Gizmo. At every spring and fall conference, a “lucky” chapter member receives the Gizmo and adds his or her own embellishments to it. In 1993, Larry Rice, award recipient, requested that the chapter turn the award into a fundraiser for the Oregon APWA Education Foundation. Over the years it has raised more than $500,000 for scholarships. The list of “winners” reads like a Who’s Who of chapter history, and the embellishments catalog 30 years of culture and 60 versions of personal taste. At the center of the fundraiser concept is “you pay to give it and not to get it!” There is a minimum contribution of $10 (included in conference registration). You get “points” depending on the level of your contribution The more dollars, the more points. You apply the points to the name(s) of the person(s) you want to receive the award. The person with the most points at the end of the conference takes home the award. In the event of a tie, the immediate past recipient will make the winning determination.

Previous Winners

(Year – Name, Gizmo Addition)

• Spring 2024 – Nick Polenske
• Fall 2023 – Chase Welborn, coin engraved to look like a manhole cover
• Spring 2023 – Barbara Duda, Barbie Bride Doll
• Fall 2022 – Jennifer Garbely, Wine bottle with Milwaukie City stickers
• Spring 2022 – Leslie Finnigan, A Bundle of Sticks (represents property rights)
• Fall 2021 – Tim Blackwood, A hat and hand sanitizer
• Spring 2021 – Sue Nelson, A few stickers – Halloweentown, City of St. Helens, Public Works First Responder, and “I got my COVID shot”. A winged pumpkin on a  stand. A copy of the movie Halloweentown.
• Fall 2020 – Shannon Williams, “Wings” (crutches, a license plate and hydro-dipped painted parts – think tie-dyed)
• Fall 2019/Spring 2020 – Laurie Allen Face mask; ACMS sticker
• Spring 2019 – Doug Singer, 2019 PWX T-shirt flag; PAWS stuffed animal
• Fall 2018 – Fred Wismer, Kittelson bike bell and wagon (Gizmo Jr.)
• Spring 2018 – Dayna Webb, Oregon City trolley sign
• Fall 2017 – Ashley Cantlon, Safety jacket
• Spring 2017 – Ken Stoneman, Let ‘er Buck saddle
• Fall 2016 – Krey Younger, “Krey”fish hat
• Spring 2016 – Delora Kerber, City of Wilsonville emergency kit
• Fall 2015 – Jenifer Willer, Red, white and blue star garland and City of Eugene sticker
• Spring 2015 – Tony Roos, Yellow penalty flag and “Not Hazardous Waste” sticker
• Fall 2014 – Nikki Messenger, Hashtag sign and metal letter hanging off a engineer’s scale spelling out “Oregon APWA”
  Old Gizmo and all its trappings “retired” in Pendleton; new Gizmo signals the start of a new era
• Spring 2014 – Troy Bowers, “Go Beavs” sign and cowboy hat
• Fall 2013 – Gordon Munro, An OSU gnome
• Spring 2013 – John Lewis, Wagon bonnet and Oregon City pin
• Fall 2012 – Nancy Kraushaar, City of Wilsonville pen
• Spring 2012 – Terry Song, Cal Poly Pomona golf balls
• Fall 2011 – Mark Schoening, Bike light with battery pack, handle bar tape and an odometer
• Spring 2011 – Todd Watkins, “No parking (except for Gizmo)” sign
• Fall 2010 – Bob Patterson, Pendleton Rodeo centennial bumper sticker, “mophead” membrane
• Spring 2010 – Les Miller, Bundle of sandbags different sizes and colors
• Fall 2009 – Mike Bisset, “Russ Thomas Was Here” baseball
• Spring 2009 – Ron Kampe, Hard hat with “embedded” Russ Thomas baseball
• Fall 2008 – Paul Shirey, Milwaukie street sign
• Spring 2008 – Russ Thomas, Two deer decoy horns, 6 foot string of 2 buck chuck wine corks
• Fall 2007 – Peggy Keppler, Magic 8-ball
• Spring 2007 – Lila Bradley, Tsunami siren, evacuation sign
• Fall 2006 – Jim Carnahan, Flashing traffic cone with DEA logo on the front light
• Spring 2006 – Pete Capell, A “Washington-ified” version of the aging Gizmo
• Fall 2005 – Greg Miller, Updated Sprint cell phone service
• Spring 2005 – Don Schut, ‘For Sale’ sign
• Fall 2004 – Kurt Corey, Montana license plate
• Spring 2004 – Gregg Weston, Hand-held calculator and metric conversion book
• Fall 2003 – Ted Kyle, Drain and “s” trap
• Spring 2003 – Rick Olson, Concrete cylinders
• Fall 2002 – Dave Haskell, Golf club
• Spring 2002 – Terry Chamberlin, Ball cap
• Fall 2001 – Stephanie Reid, Downspout
• Spring 2001 – Eric Jones, Liberty Bell & bulldog cup cooler
• Fall 2000 – Ron Polvi, Stick horse with “call before you dig” bag
• Spring 2000 – Gordon Merseth, Hard hat
• Fall 1999 – Mary Meloy, Postcard of Central Oregon on a silver chain
• Spring 1999 Mike McKilip Fishing net
• Fall 1998 – Jerry Odman, Cowboy safety boots
• Spring 1998 – Paul Klope, Electric fan, metrification kit & umbrella lettering
• Fall 1997 – Lance Burke, Dignity, integrity & class
• Spring 1997 – Les Lyle, Weather vane (“Winds of Change”)
• Fall 1996 – Steve Baker, Mystery attachment
• Spring 1996 – Dan Boss, 40 black balloons
• Fall 1995 – Jeanne Nyquist, Life vest & flashing light
• Spring 1995 – Lori Faha, “Golden” storm drain stencil
• Fall 1994 – Chris Bowles, Water meter and faucet
• Fall 1993 – Larry Rice,Seat belt & Education Foundation Award Program
• Spring 1993 – Brenda Brown, High-tech Global Positioning System (GPS)
• Fall 1992 – Gordon Wyatt, New rubber tires and wheels, umbrella & shades
• Spring 1992 – Danna Barnhart, Travel kit
• Fall 1991 – Bill Blum, Bigfoot gas pedal
• Fall 1990 – Dave Vargas, Cellular phone & new corkscrew gearshift handle
• Spring 1990 – Gene Appel, Food tray & water bottle
• Fall 1989 – Merle Langley, Horn
• Fall 1988 – Bob Adams, Joggers light and APWA license plate
• Spring 1988 – Pat Napolitano, Tail light
• Fall 1987 – Jeff Ballard, Seat
• Spring 1987 – Hugh Kalani, Ferry trolley wheels, gear shift & braker lever