Buckner honors Houston church, Longview and Dallas laypersons_50205

Posted: 4/29/05

Buckner honors Houston church,
Longview and Dallas laypersons

DALLAS–Buckner Baptist Bene-volences honored South Main Baptist Church in Houston, Longview realtor Frank Chaney and Dallas philanthropist Nancy Hamon as recipients of the 2005 R.C. Buckner Founder's Award recently in Dallas.

South Main Baptist Church received the R.C. Buckner Founder's Award for dedicated church service for its contributions to Buckner Children and Family Services and Buckner Orphan Care International. As a component to its community ministry, South Main partnered with Buckner to provide an after-school program for inner-city teenagers to enjoy recreation, tutoring and life skills training in a safe, adult-supervised environment.

Ken Hall presents a Founder's Award to Frank Chaney, a layman from First Baptist Church in Longview.

Buckner President Ken Hall called the selection of South Main “a strong endorsement of a true ministry partner. In its 102 years of ministry, South Main Baptist Church members have been known for their incredible passion for service in the community. The congregation has a rich variety of ministries to groups such as internationals, the homebound elderly, cancer patients, and a food and clothing distribution center. It also partners with other community ministries to help the homeless and disadvantaged.”

South Main also partners with Buckner in international missions and has been a leader in collecting new shoes for Buckner Orphan Care International's Shoes for Orphan Souls drive.

Longview real estate executive Frank Chaney received the R.C. Buckner Founder's Award for dedicated service by an individual for his six-year chairmanship of the Texas Bank and Trust Sporting Clays Challenge. The event has netted more than $200,000 to support children and families in East Texas.

“Frank Chaney is the driving force behind our special event,” said Greg Eubanks, executive director for Buckner Children and Family Services of Northeast Texas. “Under his leadership, the event committee has grown in size and in scope and has expanded geographically, drawing participants from at least five East Texas counties.”

Chaney, manager of commercial operations for Coldwell Banker Commercial Lenhart, is a member of First Baptist Church of Longview.

“Whether leading a committee meeting, recruiting sponsors, enlisting teams or telling people about Buckner over lunch, Frank never loses sight of his motivation,” Hall said.

Arts and education philanthropist Nancy Hamon, whose $1 million gift to Buckner established a scholarship fund for children in Buckner residential programs, received the R.C. Buckner Founder's Award for philanthropist of the year.

The Hamon Compass Program provides resources for young men and women leaving Buckner to pursue career paths through universities and colleges, vocational schools or trade schools.

By establishing the program, Hamon said, it is her “hope and desire” that the “Hamon Compass Program will endeavor to assist and encourage” qualified students seeking to further their education.

She emphasized that her intent in establishing the program is to “instill hope and a work ethic (in recipients) to succeed at an early age.”

The gift, Hall said, “is the result of Mrs. Hamon's generous and giving spirit. Mrs. Hamon's interest and concern for our children and their future is a source of hope to our children, encouragement for our staff and an example for everyone in North Texas.”