2 CommentsTheir presence commands attention. These are five women who know just about everyone walking the second-floor corridor of Reliant Center – headquarters of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
They’re all smiles, each wearing fancy cowgirl duds for this photo shoot. What is also clear is that each of them would be just as comfortable in a pair of Wranglers and a T-shirt because this is home and their fellow volunteers are family.
Anyone who knows Debbie Adams, Laura Kent, Pat Mann Phillips, Paula Robinson and Sharleen Walkoviak agrees they are worthy winners of the HLSR’s most prestigious award. All are Trailblazer Honorees, an award bestowed by fellow volunteers on just five women per year who exemplify the spirit of volunteerism.
Sharleen Walkoviak, Paula Robinson, Pat Mann Phillips, Laura Kent and Debbie Adams (from left) won the Houston rodeo’s highest honor for volunteerism. (Photo: www.hartphoto.com)
One earned an extra honor. Former “First Lady” Paula Robinson (whose husband is a former rodeo chairman) won the Pearl Award, given for bringing something “special.” The honor is a tribute to her leadership on the Ladies Go Texan and Trailblazer (previously known as the Lady’s Season Box) committees. And if that isn’t enough, she and her family have spent the last 24 years saddling up for the Salt Grass Trail Ride.
She still laughs about her rookie volunteer assignment of milking a cow – no small task for someone who calls herself a “city girl.” But a love affair with western heritage and the rodeo’s charitable causes has made the work come easy.
“We do whatever it takes for the kids,” said Paula. “It’s just so rewarding when you hear from these kids who have won scholarships, who tell you how much it meant to them.” The HLSR is one of the world’s largest rodeos, with 26,000 annual volunteers.
These five Trailblazer Honorees are distinguished by their leadership. But you won’t hear this bunch bragging. They’re quick to insist they’re just Texas girls who have never lost that sense of wonder at the live birth of a calf or a scholarship winner saying thank you.
Pat Mann Phillips grew up around a ranch and, when she moved to the city of Houston 11 years ago, she immersed herself into HLSR. As chair of the Tours Committee last year, she estimates, she spent more than 1,200 unpaid hours volunteering. The most gratifying of those hours are spent hosting field trips to the kids’ area, AgVenture.
“I might be back there holding a baby pig or lamb or sticking my hands in the bins with the worms,” said Pat. “But there’s nothing better than watching kids get surprisingly quiet with anticipation in the birthing center. You can hear a pin drop during that first glimpse of a baby calf or piglet being born.”
Laura Kent has spent almost three decades gifting her time to the Swine Auction, Llama, Merchandise and International committees. Her heart, she says, lies with the pigs. But the kids who show their animals are a close second.
“Some of those kids drive hours to get here, and they’re just so thankful to be at the Houston Rodeo,” said Laura. “Some are hard-luck kids, so some of us go out of our way to make sure they get more than the minimum at auction for their animal.”
In 80 years of the HLSR, women have grown into almost half of the volunteer force. Debbie Adams was one of four pioneering women who were the first women to serve on the parade committee 20 years ago. She has since served on the Quarter Horse and Grand Entry committees. But her heartstrings are anchored to the kids with special needs.
“We host 1,800 special-needs kids at the downtown parade. They act like this is the highlight of their year,” said Debbie.
Sharleen Walkoviak is second-year chairman of the Lamb & Goat Auction committee. She led the committee to a new auction record of $1.8 million last year. The showing kids inspired her.
“I had this one volunteer [formerly a youth contestant] come up to me one day and say, ‘I just want to thank you for buying my lamb and goat all these years; otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to go to college,’” said Sharleen.
The enormity of the HLSR army of volunteers made it impossible for even these regular volunteers to all know each other before being plucked out of their committees for their excellence. Now a distinguished sisterhood binds them, made stronger by the irreplaceable satisfaction of helping others.
