More than 1,000 Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer mentors, board members and staff celebrated mentoring by recognizing the 2009 volunteers of the year. This past Saturday, the mentoring organization’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party, themed “Lone Star Legends,” recognized top volunteers from across the north and west central regions of Texas. The volunteers were recognized for their outstanding dedication, integrity, and generosity as they contributed to the creation of exceptional life-changing experiences for Texas children.

“This event is designed as a demonstration of our most heart-felt gratitude towards the mentors and volunteers that make mentoring happen through Big Brothers Big Sisters,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO T. Charles Pierson. “While we know that this event is just a drop in the bucket compared to the work our mentors do in changing the way kids grow up in Texas, it’s an opportunity for our agency to give back to those that make our work possible.”

2009 Agency-Wide Award Winners

Big Brother of the Year
Darrell Sherman

David E. Cox Award
Ashley Jennings

2009 Regional Award Winners

School Based Big Sister of the Year
Brooke Higginbotham

Community Based Big Brother of the Year
Bryan Newton

Community Based Big Sister of the Year
Corin Philips

Big Couple of the Year
Ruth and Murray Ball
 
Emily Hunter Teen Big Sister of the Year
Raven Tucker

 David E. Cox “Light of Life” Award
Ashley Jennings

Marla D. Pollan Parent Award
Lisa Steele

James Harris Heart of Gold
Alisa Wickler

Michael C. Farhat Lifetime Believer Award
Tim and Mary Jean Moloney

Community Partner of the Year
Zeta Chi chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha (UTA undergraduate chapter)

Corporate Partner of the Year
Autobahn Motorcar Group

Board Member of the Year
Candy Conway

Dallas County Regional Winners

School Based Big Brother of the Year
Bryant Langham
 
School Based Big Sister of the Year
Sonya Suttles

Community Based Big Brother of the Year
Gabriel “Gabe” Meadows

Community Based Big Sister of the Year
Heather Reasonover

Marla D. Pollan Parent of the Year
Maria Arrambidez

James Harris Heart of Gold Award
Sue Birch

Community Partner of the Year
Lance Prothro, Southeast Dallas Chamber of Commerce
 
Faith Based Partner of the Year
The Potter’s House

Corporate Partner of the Year
Ernst & Young, LLP
 
Board Member of the Year
Clint McDonnough
 
Southern Regional Winners

School Based Big Brother of the Year
Darrell Sherman

School Based Big Sister of the Year
Thelma Clardy

Teen Big of the Year
Ashley Stalcup

Community Partner of the Year
Leadership Southwest – Class of 2008
Sharon Davis, Chair

Corporate Partner of the Year
Marga Morgan, Kids Are Us Private Learning Center

Board Member of the Year
Camille Henderson Jackson

Grayson County Regional Winners

Community Based Based Big Brother of the Year
Darrell Walker

Corporate Partner of the Year
LoneStar Foods

Board Member of the Year
Reggie Smith

Community Partner of the Year
Washington Elementary

Collin County Regional Winners

School Based Big Brother of the Year
Rex Siefert

 School Based Big Sister of the Year
Lynn Thompson

Community Based Big Brother of the Year
Matt Wilson

Community Based Big Sister of the Year
Barbara Roth

Community Based Big Couple of the Year
Will and April Gilliland

Teen Big of the Year Award
Caroline Claiborne

James Harris Heart of Gold Award
Joan Wagstaff

Community Partner of the Year
WorldVentures

Corporate Partner of the Year
IntegraSys

Board Member of the Year
Ron Jeans

Brownwood Regional Winner

Community Partner of the Year
Citizens National Bank

Denton County Regional Winners
Community Based Big Sister of the Year
Cindy Tallent

Community Partner of the Year
Brunswick Zone

Corporate Partner of the Year
Van Hunter Development, LTD
 
Board Member of the Year
Mike Arzamendi 

San Angelo Regional Winners

School Based Big Brother of the Year
Joe Mata
 
School Based Big Sister of the Year
Stephanie Thomas
 
Community Based Big Brother of the Year
Steve Hochreiter

 Community Based Big Sister of the Year
Heidi Haigood

Community Partner of the Year
San Angelo Independent School District
Carol Ann Bonds – Superintendent
Bob Beavers – PAYS Coordinator
 
Board Member of the Year
Boomer Kingston

Northeast Texas Regional Winners

Community Based Big Brother of the Year
Rudy Kessel

Community Based Big Sister of of the Year
Rosemarie Dailey

Emily Hunter Teen Big Brother of the Year
Aubrey Thompson

Corporate Partner of the Year
NextEra Energy Resources – Lamar Energy Center

Board Member of the Year
Darius Samuels

Abilene Regional Winners

School Based Big Brother of the Year
Ray King

School Based Big Sister of the Year
Debby Morris

Community-Based Big Brother of the Year
Derrell Patterson

Community-Based Big Sister of the Year
Kris Kimbrell

Wildcat Kids Big of the Year
NeNe Hynson
 
 Charles Allred Parent Award
Sue Posey

James Harris Heart of Gold
S.C. “Buzz” Jones

Community Partner of the Year
Shawna Parmelly, Cooper High School PALS Teacher

Faith-Based Partner of the Year
Southern Hills Church of Christ

Corporate Partner of the Year
Lauren Engineers & Constructors, Inc.

Board Member of the Year
Patrick Clancy

Big Brothers Big Sisters Scholarship Winners

The Jean Powers Bohart Scholarship
Bryan Henriquez

The Jean Powers Bohart Scholarship
Derek Murray

The Darryl E. Cowles Make a Difference Scholarship
Brian Hutyra

National Semiconductor Math and Science Scholarship
Veronica Garcia

Richard Gumtau Higher Education Scholarship
Kaitlyn Russell

Jack In The Box Scholarship
Raven Tucker

Jack In The Box Scholarship
Aubrey Thompson