A Texas energy company of famed Hollywood actor Chuck Norris and his wife were among First Lady Cecilia Abbott's 2021 Governor’s Volunteer Awards recipients announced earlier this week.
Gov. Greg Abbot took to social media after the recipients were announced by his office.
"Congratulations to the winners of the 2021 Governor’s Volunteer Awards," the governor tweeted, referring to all of the recipients as "outstanding Texans."
Chuck and Gena Norris, recipients of the Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award
| onestarfoundation.org/governors-volunteer-awards/
The 38th annual awards were presented in conjunction with the OneStar Foundation, according to the news release issued by Abbott's office. The awards "honor the exemplary service of individuals and organizations that have made a significant and measurable contribution to Texas communities through service and volunteering in the past year," the release said.
Recipients were awarded in different categories, included the Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award. This year's awards introduced three new categories, Innovation in Volunteerism, Excellence in Disaster Volunteering, and Volunteer Family of the Year.
"Texans truly are generous by nature," the first lady said in the release. "I am so inspired by the generosity and selfless dedication demonstrated by volunteers across this great state over this past year. Now more than ever, we need to embrace our communities, and I am thrilled to recognize this year's 11 outstanding awardees for leading the way."
Norris, whose resume includes his role in "Walker, Texas Ranger," and his wife, former model Gena O'Kelly Norris, together were one of three recipients of the Governor's Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award. The couple lives on their ranch outside of Navasota, northwest of Houston.
The other two Lifetime Volunteer Achievement Award recipients were Cindy Brinker Simmons of Dallas-Fort Worth, founder of Wipe Out Kids' Cancer, and Betty Ann Taylor of Houston, longtime operator of Chapelwood United Methodist Church's Year-Round Manna Ministry.
Diamondback Energy of the Permian Basin received the Corporate Volunteering Champion Award for its understanding of "the importance of building a culture of giving back, and has channeled this into support for local public schools," the news release said. Since the beginning of last year, Diamondback Energy employees have contributed more than $5.2 million dollars to the Permian Basin community. The company is also a partner of Keep Midland Beautiful, and according to NewsWest9, has contributed nearly 430 hours of service starting in January 2020.
Other award recipients included Edinburg High School Chapter of the National Honor Society in the Service-Learning Champion Award category, Somebody Cares America of Houston in the Excellence in Disaster Volunteerism Award and Madan G. Luthra of Houston in the Volunteer of the Year Award.