The VICTORIA COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION (VCHC) has been awarded a 2020 Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Historical Commission (THC).
This annual award affirms VCHC appointees for managing well-rounded history and preservation-related programs that enrich Texas communities. The county commissioners court––the CHC’s governing body––will work with the CHC to determine the best way to present the DSA certificate and publicly acknowledge CHC appointees for their dedicated service.
“Our preservation partners faced great challenges from the pandemic, but they redirected their efforts and ensured that history programming and preservation projects continued in communities across Texas," said THC Executive Director Mark Wolfe. “The VCHC has demonstrated remarkable resiliency and innovation, and we are happy to honor its extraordinary volunteers with the 2020 Distinguished Service Award.”
Texas CHCs provided more than 258,277 volunteer hours in 2020, which is an in-kind donation to the state valued at more than $7.3 million. CHC contributions in 2020 are remarkable given challenges presented by the pandemic.
The THC assists more than 200 CHCs through programs and services that preserve Texas’ heritage for the education, enjoyment, and economic benefit of present and future generations. The THC’s advisory role to CHCs is outlined in the Texas Local Government Code, the statute that enables county commissioners courts to establish CHCs. The volunteer appointees, as directed by county officials, initiate and conduct programs that preserve the historic and cultural resources of Texas.
In spite of the pandemic, VCHC continued to work. Appointees participated in many projects during 2020, from historical marker refurbishing, to research and presentations. The Certified Local Government committee also secured grant funding for a historic resources survey plan. To learn more about VICTORIA CHC, visit https://www.vctx.org/page/historical.commission.
The THC received 175 CHC annual reports for the 2020 year of service and 84 of those CHCs were approved for a Distinguished Service Award.