Chamber bestows top honors at banquet

The Clarendon Chamber of Commerce recognized Sandy Skelton with the 2021 Saints’ Roost Award for his lifetime of service and commitment to the community during the annual Chamber Awards Banquet last Thursday, March 31.

Man of the Year honors went to David Dockery, and Kathryn Broussard and Devah Pittman were named the Women of the Year. The Clarendon Family Medical Center was named the Business of the Year.

The Saints’ Roost Award is the highest honor given annually by the Chamber to recognize a lifetime of volunteering and community service.

Skelton was recognized for going above and beyond in his service as our mayor. Working with an anonymous benefactor and helping raise money for the Clarendon Aquatics Center was a major accomplishment that has been a huge and lasting benefit for our community. He has also done an outstanding job communicating the city’s priorities to the community, involving the community in the city’s decision making, and keeping citizens informed through columns in the local newspaper, public meetings, and letters. In addition to his work with the city, he has been an extremely valuable member of the Saints’ Roost Museum Board and has worked tirelessly to help make the museum a first-class attraction. He also donates his time to the Courthouse Lighting project, volunteers to deliver meals on meals, and is a supporter of a wide variety of good endeavors in our community.

Kathryn Broussard and Devah Pittman were named Women of the Year for working tirelessly for the community and more especially for the health of its citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Broussard joined the local clinic in 2018, and saw an average of 4,000 patients last year, about thousand more than pre-COVID. Kathryn has put in untold hours during the COVID-19 pandemic, and one patient said of her: “I’m pretty sure without her dedication, I would have at least been hospitalized. Not to be too dramatic, I believe Kathryn saved my life.” Another patient who sought treatment here from out of town also said they “cheated possible death that day by the grace of God and by Kathryn’s dedicated attention to my illness” and said their “sister and brother-in-law traveled from our city and were subsequently treated by Kathryn with as much attention to their patient care as I was given.”

Pittman has worked at the clinic for 14 years now and has made a lasting impact on the community. She was described by a co-worker as having taken charge of COVID when the pandemic started. She researched protocols and treatments every night, sacrificing time with her family; and like Broussard, Pittman also saw about 4,000 patients last year, 1,000 more than usual. One nomination read, “I have personally witnessed her with as much love as she has in her soul, sit beside a patient, tenderly grab her hand, look into her sick eyes, and tell her that she has done all that she can do within her power, but the hospital is inevitable. Knowing the faith of her patient, they tenderly prayed together with tear-filled eyes.”

The Man of the Year for 2021is David Dockery, who, as city administrator, has overseen the completion of the Clarendon Aquatics Center and a massive USDA grant that has improved the water infrastructure system in Clarendon. While doing this, he has also helped secure additional grants for our community that in a few months will see our downtown further revitalized and will fund other infrastructure improvements for our community. Beyond his city role, he is also an officer and leading volunteer in the Clarendon Lions Club, where he can be counted on to contribute his time and talents for whatever worthy project the club is engaged upon. The District Governor of Lions recognized him with the “Backbone Award” for all his behind-the-scenes efforts for Lionism. He also supports Scouting projects and many other worthy endeavors in the community.

The Chamber of Commerce named the Clarendon Family Medical Center as the Business of the Year for 2021. For more than 20 years. Dr. John Howard and his clinic have cared for the community’s sick and strived to not only treat those who are ill but also encourage ways to improve the health of its patients through prevention. But in the last two years, the Clarendon Family Medical Center and its employees have been called upon to help our community and the surrounding area during the greatest health crisis in the last hundred years. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed Dr. Howard and his employees for who they truly are… heroes and angels of healing. From the earliest days of the pandemic, the clinic was aggressive in testing, which led to early detection of the virus in our community and no doubt saved lives. In the last two years, the clinic has treated more than 900 positive local cases of the diseases and shown great success in keeping their patients out of the hospital with aggressive approach of treatment. The reputation of our clinic was widespread in its COVID treatment and drew numerous other patients from other area counties, who are not included in that 900 plus figure

The Chamber also recognized outstanding local youth.

Jentrye Bellar is the Young Woman of the Year from Clarendon. She has been active in UIL Academics, the Gifted and Talented Program, and Athletics. She has been president of her class all four years of high school and is currently the Student Council President. In both UIL academics and athletics, she has advanced past district level competition competing at the regional level in Editorial Writing, Golf, and Track. She has garnered All District and All State accolades in Softball. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has received departmental awards over the past four years in English, Math, Science, and foreign language. She also carries a 4.0 in her dual credit college courses.

The Young Man of the Year from Clarendon is Josiah Howard. He has has played football for three years, including captain his senior year. He has been involved in Fellowship for Christian Athletes, played basketball for two years, was in band for one year, and was in theatre for three years. For four years, he has participated in UIL competitions, playing the lead role in the One Act Play and qualifying for State competition in Lincoln-Douglas debate. He has been a class officer for four years and was class president two years. He has been active in student council and was vice president one year and has been a member of National Honor Society for two years. Academically, he was on the A honor roll for three years, received Honor C’s in five classes and Top Student in six classes. He is also a National Merit Scholar. He has volunteered in the concession stand, in the Child Development class, with Vacation Bible School, and as an assistant children’s minister at the First Baptist Church in Hedley.

Josh Booth is the Young Man of the Year from Hedley and is a junior who has participated in track, tennis, football, basketball, cross country and One act play all three years of high school. He was an all-region on offense and defense in the 2021 football season, has been all district all three years of basketball and won district MVP in the 2021-2022 season. Has gone to regional cross country all three years and went to regional track. Has participated in regional UIL in multiple events. He was inducted in the NHS in 2021, and he also takes dual credit classes at Clarendon College.

Savannah Trent was the Young Woman of the Year from Hedley is a junior who was inducted into the NHS her sophomore year. She has played basketball every year of high school so far. She has run cross country and track. She played tennis for the first time ever this year, getting fourth place girls doubles in district. She has been a cheerleader since her sophomore year. She has been in One Act Play as well. She has advanced to regionals in UIL copy editing and calculator apps. She has been on the homecoming court the last two years. She also has been taking dual credit classes this year through Clarendon College.

This year’s Chamber banquet followed a “Roaring 20s” theme with many in attendance dressing the part and was catered by Great Western Dining. Approximately 175 people attended the event, which was held in the Bairfield Activity Center.

Entertainment for the evening was provided by the jazz band “Sticks & Tones” of Amarillo, and Dusty Green was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

Chamber President Bob Weiss offered a tribute to former Chamber manager Bonnie Campbell, who passed away last month. Campbell first led the Chamber as president about ten years ago, worked to revive the organization, and recruited Weiss to the board.

“Without her vision and tenacity, I doubt we would be having this event this evening,” Weiss said. “A lot of others have put in a considerable amount of time and effort since then to make the Chamber what it is today, but she really loved the Chamber and Clarendon.”

Tables were sponsored by the City of Clarendon, Clarendon College, The Clarendon Enterprise, Donley County Courthouse, Donley County Senior Citizens, Herring Bank, Phelps Plumbing, Pilgrim Bank, Saints’ Roost Museum, and Shelton & Shelton Law Offices. Green and his wife Nikki selected the Saints’ Roost Museum table as having the best table decoration reflecting the banquet’s theme.

This year’s corporate sponsors were Best Western Red River Inn, The Clarendon Enterprise, Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, Inc., GreenLight Gas, Liberty Electric, and Budweiser.