Clifford wins Chamber’s top award

Fred Clifford was honored with the 2010 Saints’ Roost Award for his lifetime of service to the community during the annual Clarendon Chamber of Commerce Banquet Saturday night.

Woman of the Year recognition went to Ashlee Estlack, and Bill Auvenshine was named the Man of the Year for 2010.

Clifford was born and raised in Donley County and has a long history of helping other people. He served in the United States Army for three years, and worked many years in the family grocery business.

He delivered groceries to just about every elderly widowed lady in town and was also known for helping them with everything from changing light bulbs to carrying out the trash. Later as a salesman for Chamberlain Motor Co., Clifford worked diligently to get people the best deals possible and helped people get to and from work or appointments while their vehicles were being worked on.

For 26 years, Clifford was the head of the Citizens Cemetery Association and kept it running smoothly. He spent countless hours just making sure there was someone out there to mow the grass and make sure things were kept up in addition to numerous additional hours sending out thank you notes for donations to the cemetery.

The Woman of the Year, Ashlee Estlack, was recognized for her devotion to her family, her job, and her community. She is an active member of Donley County Child Welfare Board and teaches Sunday School and children’s classes on Wednesday nights at the First United Methodist Church. She is a member of the Clarendon Lions Club and became the secretary of that organization last summer.

Estlack has been an award-winning writer for The Clarendon Enterprise, helped organize the 2006 West Texas Press Association convention in Clarendon, and has served as the secretary of the Panhandle Press Association since 2007.

As the marketing coordinator at Clarendon College, she has standardized the college’s logo and given CC a consistent professional appearance across its brochures, advertisements, website, billboards, and stationery. Her efforts have been part of the teamwork which has produced record-setting enrollments at Clarendon College.

In 2010 she led a joint effort between the college, the city, and the Economic Development Corporation that resulted in the new digital marquee being installed at the college, which now brightly promotes both college and community events to passers-by on US 287. She has served on the Chamber of Commerce board and provided design work for many things, including promotional materials for Summer Celebration last year.

She also designed the EDC website and the Clarendon Visitor’s brochure, which has been distributed far and wide. Estlack has also been very involved with the “Bring Back the Mulkey” campaign, planning the fundraising effort for the theatre and designing the campaign’s logo, posters, and other promotional material.

Bill Auvenshine was named Man of the Year for 2010 and was recognized for his personal and professional achievements and for his work as the former president of Clarendon College.

He is an educator with more than 40 years’ experience, and among his favorite hobbies are golf, music, and classic old cars. He is a devout Methodist and a student of Civil War history. He is an illustrious musician, having played his saxophone professionally as a young man and having taught band for four years in grades six through 12.

He also operated and managed a music store in the Texas Panhandle for six years.

He is the past president of the Texas Junior/Community College Association, is a former Lions Club district governor, and was the Clarendon Lion of the Year last year.
He spent more than 20 years at Hill College in Hillsboro where built financial reserves from $225,000 to $5 million, contributed to historical preservation, and had the honor of college’s library being named for him.

He then was president at Galveston College where he implemented marketing strategies for enrollment improvement. In his brief three-year tenure at Clarendon College, Auvenshine added technical programs and passed maintenance taxes in Gray and Childress counties. He oversaw construction of two vocational buildings in Pampa – one of which bears his name – and engendered a 35.9 percent increase in contact hours and a 28 percent increase in headcount enrollment.

The Chamber also recognized Denise Bertrand and MaryRuth Bishop as the Workhorses of the Year.

In addition to her ongoing work with the Girl Scouts and St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Bertrand last year led the Tourism Committee as it worked with NewsChannel 10 to put on the Summer Celebration. Bishop actually retired early last year but since that time implemented educational programs for people of all ages, organized several projects, and now heads up the Mulkey Advisory Committee, which is working with the Clarendon EDC to light up downtown.

Chuck Deyhle was named the Pioneer Man for 2010. He grew up in Fannin County in East Texas and served three years in the US Navy in World War II before graduating from Texas A&M, getting married, and moving to Clarendon to start practicing veterinary medicine. During his 48-year career, he received many awards and accolades, organized the Academy of Veterinary Consultants, and was the 1989 Consultant of the Year.

He is a former city alderman, is active at the Methodist Church, and currently serves on the boards of Greenbelt Water Authority, Clarendon College, and Herring Bank. He is also a charter member of the Texas Cattle Feeders Association.

He is known as an innovator and has pioneered many of the concepts and procedures used in veterinary medicine today.

The Pioneer Woman for 2010 was Ismanell Gray, who has lived in Donley County for 76
years and has many friends and a large family counted in her bounty. She served for 12 years at Clarendon College as a dorm parent, helping educate many young women.

She is a mother of five, grandmother of 13, great-grandmother to 26, and great, great-grandmother to one.

Annie Patten was named the Young Woman of the Year from Clarendon and was recognized for her work in 4H, as a Sweetheart in the Clarendon Lions Club, and at the Clarendon nursing home. She has worked many hours to raise money for the new Donley County Activity Center.

She volunteers to help the elderly and is active in FFA and at the Presbyterian Church.
She has been a Clarendon High School athletic trainer for three years, taking care of whatever the boys needed, whether it was taping their ankles, fixing ice whirlpools, or just providing them with cold water. She is also the senior class treasurer and was nominated to the Homecoming Court.

The Young Man of the Year from Clarendon is Richard Nino, who was honored for his involvement in the school and the community.

As a member of the award-winning Bronco Band he has been named to all-region band and was a state qualifier in solo and ensemble. He was also been a member of the District Champion and Area Finalist Bronco Football Team where he received all-district honors as a center.

He has particpated in One Act Play and in UIL debate and speech. He has also participated in the Pantex Science Bowl.

He has served as vice-president and secretary of the Student Council. He is a member of the Spanish Club; and, as a member of the Junior Historians, he has helped as a docent in the museum during the Chuck Wagon Cook-off and has also helped decorate the nursing home at Christmas each year.

The Hedley Young Woman of the Year was Kaylee Shields, who was recognized for being goal-oriented and always striving to attain the highest degree of success. She has a 4.0 GPA and is well respected among her peers.

She is the vice president of the senior class and she has been active in basketball, cross country, tennis, and track. where she was selected Secretary of the sophomore class, Vice-President of the junior class, Vice-President of the senior class, and Vice-President of the National Honor Society. She is also currently serving as the Hedley Lions Club Sweetheart

The Hedley Young Man of the Year was Reid Copelin for excelling in all fields.

He ranks number one in his class with a 4.0 GPA and has won numerous UIL contests in the areas of science, social studies, and science. He has received awards in BPA contests and in One Act Play.

He earned the Star Greenhand Award, Star Chapter Farmer Award, Chapter Lonestar Award, and Lonestar Degree State FFA. He has held several FFA offices including Chapter President his junior and senior years.

He was nominated by Greenbelt Electric Cooperative to be a participant in the Washington, DC, Leadership Tour.

He is active in the Donley County 4H, participating Livestock Judging and Stock Shows where he received Special Recognition Awards for nine years.

He has been a participant in FFA stock shows and Horse Judging contests throughout his high school years as well. He cooked and served at the community chicken BBQ, helped plan and produce the Hedley Veteran’s Day Celebration, collected and distributed food to the less fortunate of the community during the Hedley Thanksgiving Food Drive, has been a Vacation Bible School Volunteer.

Also recognized during the banquet were incoming chamber directors Britton Hall, Chrissy Woodrum, and Tex Buckhaults. Outgoing board members were Ashlee Estlack, Jerome Martinez, Henry Hermesmeyer, Susan Word, and Regina Wootten.

Chamber officials estimate 215 people attended the “Night at the Movies” themed banquet, up from 172 last year and 182 the year before.

This year’s banquet was sponsored by Lowe’s, Clarendon College, Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, GreenLight Gas, J&W Lumber, Road Runner Home Care, Don Stone Signs, and Humalfa, LLC.