The fact that I was genuinely surprised when Sarah told me it was her first time as QuirkStar of the Month says it all. With Quirk since 2005 and Head of our Copy Team, Sarah Manners is one of the most loved and indeed most pivotal players in the Cape Town QuirkStation. This was illustrated by her recent election as our first Quirk President (more on that another day - we’re still figuring it out ourselves). To say she is dedicated would be an understatement. Manners will get the job done, period.

Because I want to make her famous, I actually want to list the things she does for Quirk apart from run our Copy Team.

• Newsletter Editor – she will tell you that this is the primary cause of her fortnightly pain, but Goebbels would be impressed by the ruthless efficiency with which Sarah runs our newsletter. If you miss a deadline, she will cut you, no two ways about it. But she has also overseen our newsletter’s biggest ever growth in subscribers and interactions.
• First President – the Quirk team’s champion. A lofty title, let me tell you!
• Chief Recycler and Planet Improver – often seen leaving the office carrying large bags of empty beer bottles.
• Office Planner – basically there ain’t nothing going down in our shiny new office without her say so.
• Cricket Supporter – the Quirk cricket team has had its ups and downs (currently on 2 ups, 20FourLabs and Saatchi – w00t!!), but whether we’ve won or lost, Sarah has been there supporting. I know I speak for the rest of the boys when I say how much we appreciate it.
• Dog Evangelist – Sarah has managed to feature her Minpin, Weed, in pretty much every newsletter. Our readers now send her pictures of their dogs!
• Pink Pioneer – I guarantee you, no matter what, she will have something pink on her at all times.
• TV Series Hub – if it’s aired and it’s good, she’s watched it.
• Primary Ranter - particularly around coffee related issues (often threats of cutting emerge from these rants. During these times, we are all afraid)
• Centre of the Grapevine - if something’s going down, Manners knows.

The above may position the wonderful Sarah as a bit of a nut, and truth is that sometimes I look at her sitting at her desk, wrapped in pink, and think she might just be. But Manners is an amazing person who has become very special to me over the years and there aren’t enough good things I can say about her. She is kind and dependable and part of the very fabric which makes up Quirk. I would try and clone her, but I just can’t see The Universe being able to produce a second version. Manners is one of a kind.

Apart from the glamour and cash prizes, our Quirkstar of the Month award exists to recognise the exceptional members of an exceptional team: Sarah Manners, take a bow, you deserve it.        

(P.S. And we wonder why headhunters keep calling our offices...!)

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