The Valero Texas Open showed its appreciation for the volunteer Tournament Leadership Council (TLC) at its annual Appreciation Banquet on Saturday, June 1. An important part of the ceremony included the presentation to this year's "Tom Mabe Volunteer of the Year Award" recipient, Chuck Rosales.
Rosales, a member of the Walking Scorers committee, embodies the characteristics of dedication and commitment, passion for the game of golf, and giving of his time and energy annually. He performs very important tasks for the Walking Scorers committee and is trusted with highly critical responsibility without seeking recognition or attention which is a testament to his selflessness, character, charity, quiet leadership, and passion for the game of golf. He has been a dedicated Valero Texas Open volunteer for an impressive 38 years.
“The past 38 years have seemed to go by so quickly and kept me coming back as a volunteer, not only because I truly enjoy volunteering for this event, but additionally because of all the great people that have worked on the Tournament Leadership Council and all the co-volunteers I have had the pleasure of working with over the years” said Rosales upon being presented the award.
Tom Mabe, the award's namesake, was a longtime Valero Texas Open volunteer who worked with players, fans, caddies and tournament officials for decades as a proud member of the TLC. An American hero, retired from the US Army after being stationed in Germany and fighting in Korea and Vietnam, Mabe sadly lost his battle with cancer during tournament week of 2014.
To celebrate Mabe's memory and his vast contributions to the Valero Texas Open over the span of 30 years, the Tournament Staff, along with the TLC, established in 2015 the "Tom Mabe Volunteer of the Year Award."
As Volunteer of the Year, Rosales was awarded with a Valero Texas Open gift package including a two-night stay and spa package at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa, complimentary volunteer registration and premium parking for next year's tournament. In addition, a charitable donation of $1,000 was made in Rosales's honor to a charity close to his heart, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA).
Each Tournament Leadership Council committee designated a volunteer of the year from their respective team that was then nominated for the Tom Mabe Volunteer of the Year. All Committee Volunteer of the Year nominees attended the annual TLC Banquet, where the winner was then announced. After much review and deliberation of the nominees, Rosales was announced as the ninth recipient of the "Tom Mabe Volunteer of the Year Award." Greg Brueland was the inaugural "Tom Mabe Volunteer of the Year Award" recipient in 2015 followed by Gerry Hagar (2016), Lisa Leong (2017), Barbara Zakrison (2018), Jenny Fischer (2019), Mike Murray (2021), Sherry King (2022), and Greg Klemm (2023).
