First Lady Cecilia Abbott announced on Mar. 11 the recipients of the 42nd Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards, which honor individuals, families, and organizations for their volunteer service across Texas. The awards, presented in partnership with the OneStar Foundation, recognize those whose leadership and dedication have made a significant impact in their communities over the past year.
The awards highlight the importance of volunteerism in uniting communities and addressing critical needs throughout Texas. “I am honored to recognize this year’s Governor’s Volunteer Awards recipients as Texans whose commitment to service is making a lasting difference,” said First Lady Cecilia Abbott. “Their dedication reminds us that service has the power to unite communities, uplift neighbors, and inspire others to step forward. It is a privilege to celebrate these individuals, families, and organizations whose commitment to service reflects the very best of the Texas spirit.” Chris Bugbee, President and CEO of OneStar Foundation, said: “These awardees demonstrate the extraordinary impact that service can have not only on communities, but on the people who serve alongside one another. By sharing their stories, we hope to encourage more Texans to get involved, build connections across differences, and take action to strengthen their communities through service.”
This year’s honorees include Larry Dolan of Dallas for his decades-long advocacy for children in foster care; Dave Freriks of Lubbock for disaster response leadership; Darrell Rodenbaugh of Plano for expanding youth theater opportunities; Timothy Stroud of Houston for supporting law enforcement families and veterans; Asvini Thivakaran of Round Rock for environmental initiatives; John R. Dunn Jr. of Kerrville for flood recovery efforts; Oscar, Yolanda & Adrian Cisneros of El Paso as Volunteer Family of the Year; TeamCITGO (Houston), Kendra Scott (Austin), and KENS 5 (San Antonio) as Corporate Champions; NiHao Food Bank Initiative (Keller) and Ark of Highland Lakes (Marble Falls) as Community Champions; Lifelong Learning with Friends (Austin) as Education Champion; BOUNCE Student Disaster Recovery (Statewide) with the Rebuild Texas Disaster Impact Award; and Nicole Gabler (Houston) with the AmeriCorps Legacy of Service Award.
The Governor’s Volunteer Awards are administered by OneStar Foundation as Texas’ highest recognition for volunteer service. Recipients will be honored during National Volunteer Month in April at a reception at the Texas Governor’s Mansion.
According to the official website, Greg Abbott has led the Office of Texas Governor since his election in 2014. The office maintains its primary location in Austin at the State Insurance Building and delivers services statewide across Texas according to official information. The office has focused on job creation, economic opportunities, education enhancement, protection of individual liberties, parental empowerment in schooling decisions, and southern border security according to official sources. Greg Abbott was also listed among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2024 according to official records.
For more details about this year’s honorees or information about volunteering opportunities statewide, visit onestarfoundation.org/governors-volunteer-awards.
