The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth’s annual meeting held earlier this month honored three high-profile community leaders for their exceptional efforts to help the organization promote well-being for Fort Worth area residents. The awards and honorees were:
Chi Rho Award: Lillie M. Biggins
Lillie Biggins received the Chi Rho Award, the highest honor given to a YMCA volunteer, in recognition of her YMCA service and dedication helping the Fort Worth community.
Biggins has served as a YMCA board member since 2013, and has played a pivotal role in supporting the Eastside YMCA. She was president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth, where she championed the establishment of a senior health clinic. She also served as co-chair of the city of Fort Worth’s Race and Culture Task Force.
Faith, family and commitment to service define Biggins’ life, and she has been honored statewide and beyond for all she does. She was inducted into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, and received the President’s Call to Service Award, the nation’s highest honor for volunteer service.
Community Partnership Award: Representative Marc Veasey
U.S. Representative Marc Veasey received the Community Partnership Award, which honors collaborative actions that significantly impact the YMCA and the individuals it serves, for his efforts on behalf of the YMCA.
Veasey helped secure $3.89 million in federal funding for renovation of the Eastside YMCA and construction of an outdoor recreation area at the William M. McDonald YMCA. His actions advanced the YMCA’s mission of providing opportunities for people of all ages to connect and engage, thereby improving overall community quality of life.
Throughout his Congressional tenure, Veasey has viewed the YMCA as a critical partner in serving his constituents. The funding secured for these projects illustrates the value he brings to that partnership.
Community Champion Award: County Commissioner Roy C. Brooks
Tarrant County Commissioner Roy C. Brooks received the Community Champion Award, which honors an exceptional individual or entity that has shown unwavering dedication in supporting and advocating for the YMCA mission and vision. Brooks has demonstrated that commitment for more than 30 years.
He established meaningful and lasting connections between the community and the YMCA. He has been a vital partner in efforts to renovate and reopen closed YMCA locations as community hubs. He has advocated for healthcare for the homeless, and focused attention on access to care, healthcare disparities and other crucial community concerns.
Through the decades, he has served Fort Worth area residents as a volunteer, city official and county commissioner. His roles have changed, but his commitment to bettering his community has remained constant.
“The YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth values community involvement to better serve individuals and families. Each of our award recipients has helped me and our Y reconnect with the community, which allowed us to reach milestones that some deemed impossible,” said Mike Brown, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Fort Worth. “We recognize these three outstanding individuals because they inspire all of us who work with the YMCA to be the best versions of ourselves.”
