Burnet chamber awards celebrates best of city, school
JENNIFER FIERRO • STAFF WRITER
BURNET — The city of Burnet and Burnet Consolidated Independent School District celebrated its very best during the annual Burnet Chamber of Commerce awards banquet Feb. 13.
Fourteen awards were presented. Some were shocked, others were fibbed to in order to get them to attend, but all participated in a stirring chant led by Robby Robertson after he was named the Thomas C. Ferguson Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
Robertson, much like he does during home games, divided the room in thirds and asked attendees to yell “Burnet Bulldogs fight!” as he pointed to each section in time. That enthusiastic response illustrated what Robertson said during his acceptance speech.
“Burnet is the world’s greatest small community,” he proclaimed.
Robertson, along with brother Bill, accepted the award for Large Business of the Year as the leaders of Camp Longhorn, which was started by their parents Julian “Tex” and Pat Robertson.
Jean Ebeling received the Rancher of the Year award. When she was 11, she won the open short horn grand championship from the Houston Livestock Show. She had to enter the open competition because girls weren’t allowed to compete back then. Wanting to ensure youth in Burnet County had the same opportunity, she helped start the Burnet County Livestock Show 49 years ago.
Other recipients included:
• Roger Moore as the chamber director of the year
• Bluebonnet Festival chairwoman Suzanne Brown as the Volunteer of the Year
• Louise Lacy as the Senior Citizen of the Year
• W.T. Smith as the Wallace Riddell Law Enforcement Officer of the Year
• Lakes Area Pharmacy as the Small Business of the Year
• Burnet High School senior Nick Menchaca as the Outstanding Youth of the Year. BCISD announced Bertram Elementary School fifth-grade teacher Buffy Taylor as the Educator of the Year and inducted its third class into its Hall of Fame
• Esther Warden as the Distinguished Former Board Member. She was on the board from 1987-2002 and from 2004-07.
• linebacker Doak Field as the Distinguished Former BHS Athlete. He was a member of the 1974 district championship football team. He played at Baylor University and was the leading tackler in every bowl he played in. He played in the NFL and in the USFL.
• Jack Johnson as the Distinguished Graduate. He helps raise money for his mother Suzanne Johnson’s Scholarship Endowment fundraiser. It’s part of the Hill Country Community Foundation.
• former superintendent Bob Wilkin as the Distinguished Former Employee. He served from 1968-81. When current Superintendent Keith McBurnett asked the secret to staying long term, he said Wilkin told him, “You have to do a good job.”
jfierro@thepicayune.com