The Veramendi Plaza Award of Honor
(formerly the Heritage Tree of Honor)
The Award of Honor event (formerly known as the Tree of Honor event), established by the Riverwalk Park Committee in June 2000, was created to recognize a deceased member of the Heritage Association who made distinguished contributions not only to the Heritage Association but also to the enhancement of life in the community. The first person to receive this prestigious award was Dr. Emmie Craddock (1915-1998), President of the Heritage Association 1979-1981 and the first woman mayor of San Marcos. In April 2001, a mature oak tree in the Grove was dedicated in her name as the Heritage Tree of Honor.
Individuals considered for the Award of Honor are those whose outstanding contributions to the Heritage Association and to the community go well beyond routine expectations. The committee welcomes the participation of Heritage members as well as the general public in the nomination of individuals. A maximum of three recipients will be chosen for any given year. Examples of the attributes and services which characterize these prominent citizens are suggested to assist the selection. Individuals who have received this honor are known to have:
1) Served with distinction in the function of one or more major committees of the Heritage Association.
2) Represented the Heritage Association in collaboration with other civic groups to advance cooperative community projects.
3) Supported the programs and special events of the Heritage Association by regular attendance, constructive input, and financial assistance when appropriate.
A nominee must have been a member of the Heritage Association for five years and have died within the previous calendar year. The name and contributions must be made in writing to any member of the Riverwalk Park Committee by their June meeting. Up to three recipients will be selected at the committee's July meeting. The recipient(s) are honored at the Association's Annual Meeting and the name(s) of the recipient(s) are added to the Award of Honor memorial in Veramendi Plaza.
Individuals considered for the Award of Honor are those whose outstanding contributions to the Heritage Association and to the community go well beyond routine expectations. The committee welcomes the participation of Heritage members as well as the general public in the nomination of individuals. A maximum of three recipients will be chosen for any given year. Examples of the attributes and services which characterize these prominent citizens are suggested to assist the selection. Individuals who have received this honor are known to have:
1) Served with distinction in the function of one or more major committees of the Heritage Association.
2) Represented the Heritage Association in collaboration with other civic groups to advance cooperative community projects.
3) Supported the programs and special events of the Heritage Association by regular attendance, constructive input, and financial assistance when appropriate.
A nominee must have been a member of the Heritage Association for five years and have died within the previous calendar year. The name and contributions must be made in writing to any member of the Riverwalk Park Committee by their June meeting. Up to three recipients will be selected at the committee's July meeting. The recipient(s) are honored at the Association's Annual Meeting and the name(s) of the recipient(s) are added to the Award of Honor memorial in Veramendi Plaza.
Since 2000, the following citizens of the community have been honored:
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Dr. Betty Kissler, 2003
Mr. Carol Burton, 2003 Mr. Walter “Pete” Owen, 2007 Mary Bonner and Ken Kohut, 2008 Helen Van Gundy 2010 Lunelle A. Anderson, Dawn Breihan-Hopp, and Curtis Parkerson, 2011 Jo Sherrill Lane, 2012 Nettie Serur and James Pape, 2013 Al Lowman, Billy Moore and Jerry Moore, 2014 |
Shirley Stiles Austin and Allyn W. Gill, 2015
Robert E. Pulver, 2016 Jane Moss, 2017 Bill Daniels, Ron Jager, Ken Moss, 2018 Virginia Moore, Darrell Piersol, Sunny Sappington, 2019 Phyllis Whittaker, Jerry Sebek, and Charles Blue, 2020 Rose Ayers, Bruce Harper, Bettye Nagy, Byron Wolverton, 2021 Jack Byrom and Allison Tudor, 2022 Mildred "Millie" Bechtol, 2023 Polly Wright, 2024 |
