You don't get much recognition for running a Strider fansite. It is, almost by definition, a solitary task. Half the time you don't even know if anyone's reading your site anymore, or if anyone cares. The series seems to be that dead, despite the insinuations of various wankers at gaming magazines worldwide.
So when you do get an award, of any kind, it tends to stand out.
The LSCM was awarded the Organization for the Preservation of Classic Forms of Gaming's Award of Excellence back in 2002. At the time, I was kinda unsure of where to put it on my site (because I didn't have an awards section), and unsure of whether I should put it on my site or not (because I just happened to be friends with the guy who runs the OPCFG, Rob Strangman). I didn't know how it would look, considering how he and I go way back, so I did what I always do in those kinds of awkward situations. I ignored it.
Months went by. Rob, being the great sport that he is, politely emailed me and reminded me that they'd sent my site an award and, it was linked on their own awards page. I realized I was being a jerk and put the award up on the LSCM. I shouldn't have worried, because hey, it wasn't the Strider Army's A-Class Award. This is actually a decent award, from a guy who knows classic games in and out. Go check out the OPCFG's homepage sometime. It's a veritable shrine to nostalgia.
I think, though, that my biggest reward came when Rey Jiminez over at Capcom USA emailed me. He was looking for information about the series, because he was gathering information for Capcom Classics Collection, Vol. 2. No one currently working at Capcom was working back when they developed Strider, the way Rey told it, and we spent several emails batting back and forth factoids and half-truths about the series. Ultimately, my contributions wound up making it into the collection, as part of the bonus features. I contributed all of the Hints and the bit about Strider being based on a manga, in the Summary (which I also got to pass approval on). It was a very cool moment for me, because I am the first Strider fansite webmaster to get his name in a videogame associated with the series. The only way to top it would be to work on an ACTUAL Strider game.
If you have the game, check the "Special Thanks" section. You'll find my name there: Sam Roberts. For helping him out, Rey sent me copies of the PSP and PS2 NTSC versions. It was a very, very sweet moment, and I'm truly grateful he emailed and asked for help. It's not like he had to do that. Technically, all the information on the LSCM is Capcom's anyway. He could've just taken the info from my site and never said anything. But he didn't.
Sorry Rob, but I think that tops your OPCFG award. Hey, at least I've got it up here now, though. Right?