// points = 100
        // reason = PointAwardReason.MiniGameCompletion
        // MGID = Mini Game ID, if the reason is MiniGameCompletion, else 0
        //
        //
        // returns: a string based list of the badges they earned, or an empty string
        public string AwardPointsToPatron(int points, PointAwardReason reason,
                // Minigame
                int MGID = 0,
                // reading
                ActivityType readingActivity = ActivityType.Pages, int readingAmount = 0, string author= "", string title= "", string review= "",
                // event
                string eventCode= "", int eventID = 0,
                // book List
                int bookListID = 0,

                DateTime? forceDate = null
            )
        {
            if(forceDate != null)
                now = (DateTime)forceDate;

            string retValue= string.Empty;

            #region Reading - Log to PatronReadingLog
            PatronReadingLog rl = null;
            if(reason == PointAwardReason.Reading) {
                rl = new PatronReadingLog {
                    PID = patron.PID,
                    ReadingType = (int)readingActivity,
                    ReadingTypeLabel = (readingActivity).ToString(),
                    ReadingAmount = readingAmount,
                    ReadingPoints = points,
                    LoggingDate = FormatHelper.ToNormalDate(now),
                    Author = author.Trim(),
                    Title = title.Trim(),
                    HasReview = (review.Trim().Length > 0),
                    ReviewID = 0
                };
                rl.Insert();

                // If there is a review, record the review
                if(review.Trim().Length > 0) {
                    var r = new PatronReview {
                        PID = patron.PID,
                        PRLID = rl.PRLID,
                        Author = rl.Author,
                        Title = rl.Title,
                        Review = review.Trim(),
                        isApproved = false
                    };
                    r.Insert();

                    rl.ReviewID = r.PRID;
                    rl.Update();
                    HttpContext.Current.Session["LastPRID"] = r.PRID;
                }

            }
            #endregion

            #region Award PatronPoints

            var pp = new PatronPoints {
                PID = patron.PID,
                NumPoints = points,
                AwardDate = now,
                AwardReasonCd = (int)reason,
                AwardReason = PatronPoints.PointAwardReasonCdToDescription(reason),
                BadgeAwardedFlag = false,
                isReading = (reason == PointAwardReason.Reading),
                isEvent = (reason == PointAwardReason.EventAttendance),
                isGameLevelActivity = (reason == PointAwardReason.MiniGameCompletion),
                isBookList = (reason == PointAwardReason.BookListCompletion),
                isGame = false,
                GameLevelActivityID = MGID,
                EventCode = eventCode,
                EventID = eventID,
                BookListID = bookListID,
                LogID = (rl == null ? 0 : rl.PRLID)
            };
            pp.Insert();

            var badgeAwarded = false;
            int badgeToAward = 0;               // <===========

            DAL.Minigame mg = null;
            if(reason == PointAwardReason.MiniGameCompletion) {
                mg = DAL.Minigame.FetchObject(MGID);
                badgeAwarded = mg.AwardedBadgeID > 0;
                badgeToAward = mg.AwardedBadgeID;
            }
            if(reason == PointAwardReason.EventAttendance) {
                var evt = Event.GetEvent(eventID);
                badgeAwarded = evt == null ? false : evt.BadgeID > 0;
                badgeToAward = evt == null ? 0 : evt.BadgeID;
            }
            if(reason == PointAwardReason.BookListCompletion) {
                var bl = BookList.FetchObject(bookListID);
                ;
                badgeAwarded = (bl.AwardBadgeID > 0);
                badgeToAward = bl.AwardBadgeID;
            }

            DataSet pbds = null;
            if(badgeAwarded) {
                if(AwardBadgeToPatron(badgeToAward, patron, ref EarnedBadges)) {
                    if(pp.PPID != 0) {
                        pp.BadgeAwardedFlag = true;
                        pp.BadgeID = badgeToAward;
                        pp.Update();
                    }
                }
            }

            #endregion

            #region If jumped level, award another badge(s)

            // since thay just earned points, check if they also advanced a level in the board game (if there is a board game for the program)
            EndingPoints = PatronPoints.GetTotalPatronPoints(patron.PID);
            EarnedBadge = null;

            var earnedBadges2 = new List<Badge>();

            EarnedBadge = TallyPoints(patron, pgm, StartingPoints, EndingPoints, ref earnedBadges2);
            pbds = PatronBadges.GetAll(patron.PID);

            foreach(var badge in earnedBadges2) {
                EarnedBadge = badge;

                if(EarnedBadge != null) {
                    AwardBadgeToPatron(EarnedBadge.BID, patron, ref EarnedBadges);
                }

            }

            #endregion

            #region Check and give awards if any

            AwardBadgeToPatronViaMatchingAwards(patron, ref EarnedBadges);

            #endregion

            #region Prepare return code
            // did they earn one or more badges?
            if(EarnedBadges.Count > 0) {
                retValue = string.Join("|", EarnedBadges.Select(b => b.BID).Distinct());
            }
            #endregion

            return retValue;
        }