CBACC recognizes area citizens and businesses at annual banquet
By Nathan Straus News Reporter

Top: CBACC award winners, left to right, Arthur McKenzie, Donna Tyndell with Sonic Drive-In, W.D. Lewis, Jeff Russell, Bobby Baker. Bottom: Members of Keep Chandler Beautiful, Mary Adair, Ron Reeves, Barbara Proctor, Bobby Proctor, Gene Thedford, Rick Ford, Bill Snow, Zel Snow, Sara Hall, Iris Mamo, Jo Stauber, Fred Stauber. More photos online at c-bstatesman.com

The Chandler and Brownsboro Area Chamber of Commerce honored local man W.D. Lewis as its citizen of the year February 7. The ceremony was part of the yearly CBACC Annual Awards Banquet and Auction.

Wilford Deeds Lewis is well known in the Chandler and Brownsboro area as a generous volunteer for the Casa organization, a group dedicated to recruiting volunteers to advocate for kids in the foster care system.

But Lewis' good will doesn't end there. Ever since he moved to Brownsboro in the early `80s he has volunteered at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens as a sort of tour guide. He also organizes the center's Halloween event.

He also serves the local Kiwanis Club as a member. The club's primary function is to provide scholarships for students graduating out of Brownsboro High School.

Nathan Straus Photos

Lewis is a war veteran and met his wife Dottie, now deceased, through a pen pal program during World War II. Impressed with Dottie's penmanship, W.D. took her out on one date and married her after no more than four more.

"We had the greatest relationship there ever was," Lewis said of Dottie.

Having sold his lumber business in Fort Worth, Lewis remained an avid builder upon his arrival in Brownsboro. Not only did he build his own home, but he also built the Brownsboro Volunteer Fire Department building, an act of kindness for which he was awarded a detailed statue of a fireman holding a child.

According to Lewis, the presence of a need spurs him to commit to these tasks of generosity. Whenever a need arises somewhere and Lewis hears about it, he responds to it.

"I don't do it for the recognition," Lewis said of his continual charity work, "I do it because it's a need, and if there's a need, I go to work on it."

Being a deeply religious man, Lewis joined with Leagueville Baptist Church almost immediately upon arriving in the area some 15 or so years ago. He said it is his desire to imitate Christ that most profoundly encourages him to continue to devote his life to charity.

"Citizen of the Year" was just one award handed out by the chamber Thursday evening.

The "Policeman of the Year" plaque went to Officer Arthur McKenzie, a reserve officer in Chandler. The award was presented by Ron Reeves, Chandler police chief.

"I couldn't ask for a better man," Reeves said of McKenzie.

For its work in the Chandler community, and its latest project of designing "Welcome" banners for the city, Keep Chandler Beautiful was given the "Organization of the Year" award.

"Fireman of the Year" was awarded to Chandler volunteer firefighter Bobby Baker by Chandler's volunteer fire chief Robert York.

Brownsboro High School band director Jeff Russell was named Teacher of the Year by Brownsboro Independent School District superintendent Elton Caldwell. Russell has worked with 475 band students.

Finally, Donna Tyndell of the Chandler Sonic Drive-in was given the "Business of the Year" plaque.

Certificates of appreciation went to the Texas Pecan Tree Nursery, Stanley McCurley Backhoe Service, Brookshire's, Sonic, Y's Hometown Foods and The Chandler and Brownsboro Statesman.

Outgoing chamber board members were recognized during the banquet. Dana Becton of Bee-Line Promotions is the outgoing vice chairman, Ron Reeves is the outgoing advisor and Glenda Bearden of First State Bank is outgoing treasurer. Cresha Foster of Citizens National Bank is an outgoing board member. Jeff Smiley, former chairman, will serve as advisor to the board. Joe Selman and Lloyd Robertson are the new chairman and vice chairman, respectively.

The banquet speaker was Ray Stone, a radio personality who hosts his own Dallas Cowboys radio show. Stone spoke on some of the history of the Dallas Cowboys, running through a host of anecdotes to the smiles of an entertained crowd.