Your vote counts, but your words count even more.
The Hays Free Press and News-Dispatch have received nominations of more than 60 people in the Buda, Dripping Springs and Kyle areas that have gone above and beyond to benefit the institutions they care about most. We are asking for input from our readers to share their opinions or experiences about our nominees.
If you know any of the nominees below, please share your comments about the person or people that you believe deserve the most recognition. Email us your nominee(s) name and a reason, you think they deserve to be recognized.
The efforts of these individuals will be the topic of our quarterly Hays County Echo magazine in December.
Please email comments to [email protected] with the subject “COTY 2018.”
Buda – Community
Amy Hilton – Loving Mountain City administrator. Scout Leader. Volunteer for several community organizations.
Melissa Barrett McCrary – Volunteer with Meals on Wheels. Helps neighbors in need.
Wiley Hopkins – City of Buda council member.
Jeremy De Alcala – Board member of Economic Development Corporation.
Britany McArthur Krause – Coordinator at Children’s Hope Chest.
Mary Stone – Serves on BSEACD board. Volunteer counselor with Hays CISD.
Penny Moulder – Member of the Buda Chamber. Volunteers with Mountain City activities.
Sandra Grizzle – Longtime volunteer at Onion Creek Seniors Citizens Center.
Buda – Education
Debbie Brown – Dyslexia therapist at Hays CISD
Suzi Mitchell – Hays CISD CTE director
Max Cleaver – Chief Operations Officer for Hays CISD
Kate Curley – First grade teacher at Buda Elementary
Chris Gardner – English teach at Hays High and Ultimate Frisbee coach.
Tim Savoy – Hays CISD Public Information Officer
Heather Guerin – Longtime admin at Buda Elementary.
Buda – Business
Ray Bryant – Texas Disposal Systems
Leanne Logan – Nighthawk Foods
Tammy Gray – Owner of Buda Drug Store
Kerri Espinoza – Former teacher, now in real estate.
Buda Block Party (Debbie Cook and Amy Younts) – Create unique gifts, many of which are donated for fundraisers
Brad Hullum – Owner of Reliable Automotive
Maryann Gamble – Physician at ARC
Buda – Government
Jim Lewis – VP of Economic Development.
Dripping Springs – Community
Bob Love – North Hays County Fire & Rescue Assistant Chief of volunteers
Wayland and Kathy Clark – Friends Foundation, Order of the Eastern Star and other community events.
Denise Henley – 20-year leader of Brent Thurman Memorial Bull Riding committee as well as other area non-profits. Volunteers at orphanage in Guatemala.
Amy Hilton – Volunteer photographer for Brent Thurman Memorial Bull Riding event.
Dripping Springs – Education
Marisa Tuzzi – Assistant Athletic Director at Dripping Springs High
Bailey Kay Hutson – Volunteer with Brent Thurman Memorial Bull Riding event.
Carrie Kroll – Child advocate. DSISD school board member
Dripping Springs – Government
Andrea Cunningham – Dripping Springs city secretary
Ginger Faught – Deputy City Administrator
Dripping Springs – Business
Robert Avera – Avera Law Firm
Dave Niemeyer – Owner of Acopon brewery
Kyle – Community
Jennifer Crosby – Operations Manager at Hays Hills Baptist Church
Kimberley Butler-Fitzgerald – Owner of Ladies & Gents
Max Vasquez – Member of Patriot Guard Riders
Carole Coburn – Volunteer for Concerts for a cause
Heather Trevethan – Girl Scout Leader. Volunteer for St. Vincent dePaul and Central Texas Mobile Food bank. Site Coordinator.
Penny Krug – Polling place volunteer with every election and volunteer at KASZ.
Teresa Tobias – HCISD school board member and volunteer at many school events.
Tracy Schupbach – Volunteers with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts in many different areas. Served on PTA board.
Kyle – Education
Todd Barker – Education – Pastor at Wayfinders Church
David Bowe – Assistant Public Information Officer
Melinda DeChick – Simon Middle School Counselor
Michelle Winn – Hays CISD school counselor
David Abdelmaseih – Social Studies teacher at Lehman High. Volunteers in community and encourages volunteerism among students.
Karen Lucita – Principal at Kyle Elementary.
Jim Cullen – Photographer for Hays CISD and former teacher.
Karen Sinor – Barton Middle School Science teacher.
Teri Eubank – Principal at Barton Middle School
Kyle – Government
Julie Snyder – Director of the Kyle Chamber
Arthur Zamarripa – Kyle Parks Project Coordinator
Jennifer Scott – Secretary to Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones
Grace Nino – Receptionist at Kyle City Hall
Scott Sellers – Kyle City Manager
Kyle – Business
Kimberley Butler-Fitzgerald – Owner of Ladies & Gents
Allen Deaver – Realtor and Chamber member
Billy Bonham – Owner of Pizza Classics
Mat Phillips – Blue Computer Solutions
Irene Melendez – Works at Broadway Bank. Volunteers for St. Anthony’s Fiestas, PTA school supply drives and works with Planning and Zoning Commission.
Jason Schaeffer – Owner of Hays County Radio. Helps with community events.
Travis Robinson – Owner of Optimized Engineering.
