Traditionally, our Volunteer Appreciation Dinner is one of the most exciting nights on the HHA calendar each year, as we honor those Heights residents who have gone above and beyond with their volunteer work in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, with the safety of our community in mind, we ultimately decided it was best to cancel this year’s dinner due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We did not cancel the awards though, and this past month, each of the winners of our 2019 Volunteer Appreciation Awards were presented with their awards. Thank you to all our worthy 2019 award recipients for their dedication and commitment to making the Heights a better place!

We encourage you to reach out to these honorees and let them know how much you appreciate what they do for our neighborhood!

2019 Volunteer Appreciation Awards Honorees

Citizen of the Year: Kevin Chenevert

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Kevin Chenevert is the 2019 Citizen of the Year. Since moving to the Houston Heights about a decade ago, he has developed a deep passion for our neighborhood that is very evident in his ever-present community involvement.

At first, Kevin volunteered his time and talents behind the scenes at many events. Once elected to the Houston Heights Association’s Board of Directors, Kevin’s activities intensified. For his volunteer efforts, he received the prestigious HHA President’s Award in 2018.

Beginning in January 2019, Kevin took over the time-consuming role of President of the HHA. He stated that he would do his best to “leverage all available assets to add value to the residents of the Houston Heights and members of the HHA.” Even while planning for the future of the HHA, Kevin realized the importance of the Houston Heights’ history and worked to preserve and promote it through his efforts.

Kevin attended committee meetings, sometimes multiple meetings in an evening. He could be seen early in the morning setting up for events. He could also be seen in the heat of the day or late at night cleaning up after an event. He truly lived and exemplified his motto that volunteers are the backbone of the HHA.

Congratulations, Kevin, for your recognition as Citizen of the Year! The HHA appreciates you and your commitment to our neighborhood.

Presented by Julie Pettit

Corporate Citizen of the Year: Eureka Heights

Sharing hospitality with enthusiasm and generosity — Eureka Heights is the official beer of the Houston Heights Association. Evan Camp, the official Party Boy of Eureka Heights graciously provided beer at a Houston Heights Association event — and then to every single monthly meeting this past year! Evan, an incredibly good sport, was also a celebrity judge for the 2019 Heights Great American Pie Contest.

Eureka Heights is an in-kind sponsor of HHA and has graciously provided beer to each HHA event, and even helped coordinate the Fall 2019 Bike Rally Kick-off party at the Eureka Heights location on 18th Street. Because of the amazing spirit and generosity exhibited in every way — the HHA recognizes Evan Camp and the entire team of Eureka Heights as the Corporate Citizen of Year for 2019.

Presented by Angela DeWree

Marcella Perry Award: Rich Anhorn

Rich Anhorn and his wife Amanda have been longtime residents of the Houston Heights. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Jose State University and has been a real estate agent for Greenwood King on Heights Boulevard since 2004.

The Marcella Perry award is given each year to a special Heights’ resident that is a key volunteer and contributor to numerous Heights events and activities. It is a prestigious award given to someone who tends to remain in a position that is more “behind the scenes,” but is always active and present. 

Rich Anhorn is the definition of this award. He has consistently been an extremely active member of the Houston Heights Association and is someone you can count on to not only show up for each event but to also take an active position in whatever is needed to ensure the event is a success. Rich has consistently served as a volunteer at every Home Tour and frequently as a head docent. He’s present at, and very involved in, every Fun Run, helping to set up, checking people in, distributing t-shirts, water and setting up food tables. He helps out on Heights Boulevard whenever beautification, clean up and mulching is needed. Rich attends the monthly Heights meetings at the Fire Station and is always ready to assist. If there is a Heights event occurring, you can count on Rich to play an active role.

Rich has also been our eyes on the Boulevard, posting images of the True North Sculpture Project, and notifying the organizational team whenever needs arise. The Houston Heights Association is both proud and pleased to present the 2019 Marcella Perry Award to the very deserving Rich Anhorn and look forward to many more years of his sincere and heartfelt participation. 

Presented by Chris Silkwood

President’s Award: Keith Crane

Keith Crane! When I first met Keith I had no idea the renaissance man that he was. He was first introduced to me as a treasurer that had to step in when I was president-elect in 2018. It was told to me that he was a previous treasurer and did accounting work, well that didn’t sound so interesting. We hit it off fairly well and when I became president, I crossed my fingers and asked him to become the VP of Finance…he said YES!!!

Ever since then, we have gotten together for coffee and iced tea (he’s an iced tea guy) and discussed financial business, but this is when I learned he was a metal sculptor (he won’t admit anything) and has worked with artists on major projects.  In our discussions he would challenge me with talk of what the neighborhood would look like in 10 years and what I thought the HHA’s role could be. From these discussions came ideas of how we could make the HHA better today. He literally guided me and helped make me become a better/stronger president, a job half the time I wasn’t certain how to handle. He would always remind me and ground me in what is the best thing for the neighborhood. It didn’t always work out this way, but it always put things in perspective.

Keith became one of my biggest mentors, a man I looked up to because of his balance of work, civic duties (he is treasurer for another non-profit as well), his art, and of course his family. Whenever I had a question, and not just about finance, I knew I could always count on Keith to keep me grounded and advise me to come up with my own answer. 

Keith Crane through my presidency and beyond has not only been a man I looked up to, a mentor, but someone I can now call my friend. He’s a person I look forward to seeing because, in spending time with him, he will challenge me to become a better person.

Presented by Kevin Chenevert

Pioneer Award: Melvalene Cohen

Marcella Perry, the mother of the Houston Heights Association, once said, “the Heights’ greatest natural resource is its people.” As usual, she hit the nail on the head, and a platinum example of that is Melvalene Cohen.

When Marcella set out to create the Houston Heights Association in 1973, among the first people she enlisted were Melvalene and her husband Carl. Owners of the beloved Studewood Food Market, they had already established a decades-long reputation for community leadership and outreach. As HHA charter members, they immediately threw themselves into building the organization and earned its third Citizen of the Year award. In the nearly 50 years since, Melvalene has faithfully continued to support the HHA, as well as countless other local groups.

In addition to our Citizen of the Year award, she was named North Houston Leader of the Year, and has received the highest awards from the Boy Scouts of America and the National PTA. She has been recognized by the Texas legislature, the City of Houston, the Municipal Arts Commission, the Retail Grocers Association, the Heights Women’s Club, and many more. She was instrumental in securing the placement of the landmark Lombard Lantern, a gift to the United States from Hamburg, Germany, on the Heights Boulevard esplanade. The site was later expanded and dedicated by the city as the Melvalene and Carl Cohen Plaza. Of her accomplishments, she simply says, “It’s just always been my goal to make my community a better place in which to live and other people’s lives a little happier.”

We regret that this year’s awards could not be presented at our usual banquet, depriving those who haven’t known Melvalene the privilege of meeting this remarkable Heights legend, a wise, warm and witty lady of the first order. But once we all start getting out more you might still have that opportunity. You see, in one of life’s pleasant ironies, she now resides in a retirement high rise built on the site of her former supermarket, overlooking the neighborhoods she’s nurtured all these years.

And therefore, we are pleased to add to Melvalene Cohen’s long list of honors with this year’s Houston Heights Association Pioneer Award.

In so many ways she embodies the essence of what has made the Heights special, and at 97, she remains, as Marcella once opined, a precious Heights natural resource.

Presented by Terry Burge

Rising Star: JoAnn Alanis

When this person was asked if she knew anyone that might want to step up and chair a home tour, she replied- is that something I can do? Absolutely was the reply and she has now chaired two spring home tours in a row. She brings a calm, detail-oriented demeanor to the role. She also inspires her children to give back and volunteer. She and her family have always supported the fun run and can also be found working on the boulevard. Please join me in congratulating Joann Alanis on being our Rising Star!

Presented by Danae Stephenson

Rising Star: Jason Starr

When you ask anyone to tell you about the 2019 winner of the Rising Star Award, the very first thing they talk about is his devotion to his children. They talk about how much he loves his wife and what a wonderful father he is. He always makes time for his kids, and taking trips with the family is high on his priority list. 

The next thing you hear about our winner is his success in business. Not only is he in partnership in one thriving business, but he is opening a second start up business as well. So needless to say, he is hardworking and a go-getter. He is the kind of guy who will jump right on whatever he says he is going to do. You would think he already had a full plate with family and work, and yet he and his wife agreed to put their charming home on the Holiday Home Tour.

And after years of working with the HHA doing an excellent job with the Community Improvement Awards, the really big ask came…and our Rising Star said yes to becoming a member of the HHA Board of Directors. But as a board member, he doesn’t wait to be asked…if he sees something that needs doing, he is happy to volunteer his time and energy to a project. Working closely with other board members and the Executive Director, he has been a vital part of the Sponsorship team. During tough times they are coming up with creative new ways to gain support for our neighborhood. This Rising Star doesn’t put himself out there as a leader, although you can see that he is one. He isn’t brash or loud. Instead, he quietly gets the job done. And he always works in a positive, team spirited way. So the aptly named 2019 Rising Star award goes to none other than our own Starr—Jason Starr.

Presented by Linda Eyles

Legacy Award: Donna Bennett

The Legacy Award is new this year and was created as a way to recognize individuals who may have already received the existing awards but yet continue to go above and beyond giving their time and talents to the neighborhood. These long-term volunteers are critical to meeting the objectives of the Houston Heights Association and making our neighborhood a better place to live.

Donna Bennett was selected to receive the inaugural Legacy Award for 2019 in recognition of her contributions over 25 years of actively volunteering in the Heights. What started as a single home tour docent shift has become a commitment to the neighborhood for Donna. That home tour docent shift led to being a head docent several times, chair of the Candlelight Dinner twice, and eventually chairing the Spring Home Tour. She served on the HHA Board for multiple terms, led the Bike Rally twice, served as HHA Membership chair, and has been an active volunteer on many committees.

Donna has been recognized as an outstanding volunteer by the HHA previously. She received the Marcella Perry Award in 2005 and then the Citizen of the Year Award in 2012. However, she has continued to consistently volunteer to help when needed. Donna routinely assists with home tours, bike rallies, Urban Forestry, Land Use, Programs, and Community Improvement Awards – helping out with whatever needs to be done.

Please congratulate Donna on selection for this award and thank her for the many years of service to our community!

Presented by Jim Bennett

Tireless Champion: Linda Eyles

When this designation was created and first awarded last year, we knew that it would only ever apply to a select few individuals whose efforts have proven to be as indefatigable as they are invaluable to our organization and to our neighborhood. Linda Eyles is a Tireless Champion in every sense of those words. The Houston Heights Association and the community we serve have been so very fortunate to once again have Linda give of her time and talents on our Board of Directors over this past year and a half, but her generosity and dedication extend far, far beyond that.

As a current co-curator of the TRUE NORTH Boulevard Art program, she has brought her renowned eye for design and beauty to the center of our neighborhood and helped to bring a vibrant collection of art to the shared outdoor space that has become central to our quality of life as Heights residents this year. From Candlelight Dinners to special projects throughout the years, she is always exceptionally eager to roll up her sleeves and bring the very laser focus which has helped her excel as a Heights-based business owner to the endeavors of the HHA.

In the few passing moments when she is not acting in an official volunteer capacity, she, along with her husband Simon, has remained an adamant and selfless benefactor of our work and programs. She does all of this with a trademark sense of style, humor, and generosity of spirit. As a previous Citizen of the Year, Linda continues to build upon her legacy and, without a doubt, has already left an indelible mark on the Houston Heights. There is no honor we as her fellow neighbors and volunteers could bestow upon her that matches her efforts, but we are proud to once again take this moment to let Linda know just how much we all appreciate her and her many, many contributions.

Presented by Bill Baldwin

Spirit of the Heights: Andrea Hellyer

For years, this person has been involved in all aspects of the Heights. From chairing the candlelight dinner auction to supporting the bike rally and fun runs.  Willingly co-chairing the volunteer appreciation party year after year and most recently, jumping in to chair the Holiday Home Tour last year. Andrea Hellyer exemplifies the Spirit of the Heights! We appreciate your efforts Andrea!

Presented by Danae Stephenson