Terri Greenberg presents the NCA Unsung Hero Award to Amy Morris.
Working behind the scenes is often unglamorous, but necessary. At the 100th Birthday Bash in Indianapolis last weekend, the NCA honored two individuals who have tirelessly worked behind the scenes of the costume industry, Amy Morris and Rachel Godollei-Johnson.
Here are the speeches about these women:
Amy Morris
The National Costumers Association is happy to present the Unsung Hero award of 2023 to someone who has always been behind the scenes, and whose family business has been an integral part of the NCA for a long time, I don’t think she would be thrilled if I said how long! She doesn’t take credit for anything letting her boisterous, and creative husband have center stage. Her quiet constant support made a stable base for the family business to grow from.
On a personal note, my family had great adventures going on cruises sponsored by their business. They also spent many years attending NCA Conventions with their kids and grandkids looking forward to being together for the kid’s activities.
This year’s Unsung Hero award recipient is Amy Morris. With the three kids, Sandra, Terri, Scott, and the dog packed in their station wagon the Morris family would go on the road. Phil would perform magic shows while Amy kept everything under control. When an opportunity presented itself, and because Amy was an excellent sewer who made dance costumes they became Costume Shop owners. Amy dealt with the day-to-day operations of their store.
One of the first costumes they made was a gorilla suit. Amy sewed the body; Phil made the head and thus began their collaboration of being one of the most successful and largest Costume Suppliers in the industry. Today, Amy is still active in the business, running an independent store. I know she is embarrassed now and will tell you, her greatest pleasure has been working with her family, as they are the ones who deserve recognition. Amy, please come up to accept the Unsung Hero Award for 2023.
Respectively submitted by Terri Greenberg, former owner of HALCO
Rachel Godollei-Johnson
Rachel Godollei-Johnson
Dear Rachel,
For 10 years you served on the Board of Directors of the National Costumers Association as Historian and Parliamentarian. At the annual business meetings, I remember you sitting at the board of directors table, writing, and recording the important events as they happened. You took your job seriously, collecting and preserving our organization’s history. As the previous historians retired and passed down these precious documents, you began the task of organizing them, updating them and formatting them into files and notebooks. Magazines, documents, meeting minutes, letters, historical pictures, and endless pictures of conventions and area meetings, each needing a home.
Your task was undaunting and in my opinion overwhelming. Without your love for history and this organization, the archives of the National Costumers Association would never have been preserved.
It is for this effort, that I would like to present our association’s Unsung Hero Award 2023, in honor of all your hard work and dedication to the National Costumers Association.
Nominated and presented by NCA President Pamela Markel August 2023