Chamber seeking nominations for Community Service, Walshak awards

The Gonzales Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for the Community Service Award & David B. Walshak Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented at the 102nd Annual Chamber Banquet.

To get a nomination form, go to https://gonzalestexas.com/annual-chamber-banquet/ and click on the links. Email completed form to admin@gonzalestexas.com or return them to the Chamber office at 304 St. Louis St. by 4 p.m. Jan. 30, 2024.

The Community Service Award is an annual award given to an individual, business, or organization for meritorious service in one or more of the categories below:

• Historic Preservation

• Promotion of the Arts

• Education

• Commerce/Industry

• Youth Motivation

• Volunteer Work 

A panel of judges consisting of the Executive Committee of the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture will review the nominees and decide the winner. Judging will be based solely on information contained on this nomination form. Nominees will be judged without regard to sex, race, religion, or age and must live in the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture area. Any job-related task or duty for which nominees are paid a salary will not be considered. This award will be considered for a deceased person provided the death occurred within the year for which the award is being presented.

The David B. Walshak Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a person who has proved worthy of distinction in the community. This Lifetime Achievement Award is appropriately named after a man, David B. Walshak, who gave himself unselfishly to his family, friends, church, and community. 

A banker by profession, David B. Walshak was a two-time recipient of the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce "Citizen of the Year Award", once in 1961, the other in 1972. He served as Director and President of the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and in 1974 was a Charter Member of the Minutemen, ambassadors of our Chamber of Commerce. He served as Chairman of the Gonzales Sesquicentennial Committee from 1973-1975, President of the Gonzales Area Development Corporation and Director of the Texas Allied Poultry Association from 1975-1976.