UWSAG talks to David and Wendy Russell
of Casey's Celtic Charm Awards

Owner: Casey's Celtic Charm
Winner: UWSAG Top Ten! for June, 2003

1. What got you started in website design?
   
   "Great question! One that we all should ask ourselves periodically, to affirm our commitment to our goals. In our case, it would be mostly the creative challenge. The idea of using the Internet medium and creating something special and meaningful to both of us and in the hopes that others may also enjoy our efforts. We are both very involved with the creation and evolution of our website. It is a mutual passion that we share."
   
   
2. What do you hope to accomplish with your award program?
   
   "To fulfill our Mission Statement of our awards program, which states: The mission of Casey's Celtic Charm Awards Program is to recognize and bring attention to these exceptional sites, which demonstrate a unique blend of knowledge and technology. We believe that the message of the site is as important as the method and technology by which the message is delivered."
   
   
3. What advice would you give other program owners?
   
   "The best advice we could give to any new program owner is to identify and be satisfied with the goals of your program. Remembering that this is your work, and your creation and you must be content with the end results."
   
   
4. What was the biggest problem you faced with your award program?
   
   "Another good question. In a nutshell, it would be applicants' not fully and completely reading criteria. However, this is not an uncommon problem. So you then ask yourself, what can we do to that might change that? We went back to the drawing board and changed our format. Simplified how the criteria were presented, in an easy-to-read format that can be quickly referenced by the applicant. Did it work? A resounding 'yes'."
   
   
5. If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?
   
   "After 3 years, and many rewrites and redesigns of our website. We are pleased to say we are content with our efforts at this point. Having said that, it does not mean that one should not continue to evolve their site and rise to further challenges. It is always exciting to see what the future will bring."
   
   
6. What plans do you have for the future?
   
   "Again, it is all about challenging one's potentials. David in his career as a projects manager for a major railroad company, has daily and huge challenges. His aim is to continually be creative and ' think outside the box', in order to promote an effective division. I too am challenging my abilities. This year after working 20 years as an ICU nurse, I will be returning to University as a full-time student to complete a degree. I am very excited and look forward to this educational opportunity. Together, we will continually seek growth in our abilities as webmasters"
   
   
7. What else do you like to do?
   
   "With both of us having very demanding and stressful careers, we enjoy having our 'quiet time'. We will often travel and look forward to a stress-free vacation, where we can just relax and enjoy each other's company."