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Sunday, October 17, 2021

First Lady Cecilia Abbott, OneStar Foundation Announce 2021 Governor's Volunteer Awards Recipients

Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 2021 Governor's Volunteer Awards, announced recipients of the 38th annual Governor's Volunteer Awards.
Awardees were selected for engaging in volunteer service that effectively addresses a critical need, makes a sustained positive impact, and inspires others to get involved.
This year, the Governor's Volunteer Awards introduced three new categories to address the ever-evolving volunteer landscape: Innovation in Volunteerism, Excellence in Disaster Volunteering, and Volunteer Family of the Year. These award categories highlight resilience and adaptability needed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awardees will be honored at an online awards ceremony hosted by Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott. Recipients are: 

  • Chuck & Gena Norris (Navasota): Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award: Known as an actor and martial arts legend, Chuck Norris, alongside his wife Gena, has channeled his skills and celebrity into helping youth develop the mental and physical strength to deal with life's challenges.
  • Cindy Brinker Simmons (Dallas/Fort Worth): Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award: Simmons has devoted her life to uplifting pediatric cancer patients throughout Texas and supporting those battling illness, hopelessness, or isolation.
  • Betty Ann Taylor (Houston): Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award: For 24 years, Taylor has run the Year-Round Manna Ministry, a program of Chapelwood United Methodist Church that builds a bridge of hope for families in crisis in Houston.
  • Hannah Guan (San Antonio): First Lady's Rising Star Volunteer Award: At age 11, Hannah Guan founded San Antonio Math Include to offer greater access to STEM education, serving more than 36,000 students around the world.
  • Madan G. Luthra (Houston): Volunteer of the Year Award: Since COVID-19, Madan G. Luthra has volunteered more than 30 hours a week to support families in distress through Sewa International's Family Services program. 
  • Richard & Linda Zoll (Houston): Volunteer Family of the Year: The Zolls have served with SEARCH Homeless Services for over 20 years, from preparing and serving meals to essentially adopting one of the sites at which SEARCH's clients reside.
  • Diamondback Energy, Inc. (Midland/Permian Basin): Corporate Volunteering Champion Award: Diamondback Energy, Inc. has channeled their support for local public schools, contributing about 430 hours of service and over $5.2 million dollars to the Permian Basin community since 2020.
  • The Edinburg High School Chapter of the National Honor Society (Edinburg): Service-Learning Champion Award: EHS's National Honor Society was instrumental in setting up and preparing for drive-by distributions and handed out more than 10,000 free books to students whose families are financially challenged.
  • Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery 501c3 (Bullard): Innovation in Volunteerism Award: Hookset Brothers Combat Recovery provides free hunting and fishing trips to aid veterans recovering from combat-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
  • Somebody Cares America (Houston): Excellence in Disaster Volunteerism Award: During times of disaster, Somebody Cares America (SCA) mobilizes local churches and partner organizations to serve communities by providing financial and material resources along with training, manpower, leadership, and expertise.
  • Nuria A. Diallo Padro (San Antonio): National Service "Make a Difference" Award: As an AmeriCorps member with Communities In Schools of San AntonioDiallo Padro raised emergency funds to deliver grocery gift cards and partnered with the San Antonio Food Bank and the local school district to host a Mobile Food Pantry, providing food support to 450 families.

Click here for information about the winners and the contributions they have made. 

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