During the 2017 Opening Ceremony, State Fair of Texas President, Mitchell Glieber, will present a deserving group of people with the second annual Pride of Texas Award. The Pride of Texas Award recognizes an individual or group whose accomplishments have made all Texans proud; in 2016, the inaugural award honored the Dallas Police Department, following the tragedies of the July 7 ambush.
This year, the State Fair team believes the Coast Guard embodies everything the “Pride of Texas” title stands for with their heroic relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
“People from across the entire nation were moved by the resiliency and bravery of the Coast Guard members who saved Texan lives and rescued more than 11,000 people in a matter of days,” said Glieber. “This award will continue be presented each year to an individual or group that has demonstrated the qualities that Texans are best known for: strength, friendliness, hard work, courage and perhaps most of all, pride.”
Accepting the bronze statue resembling Big Tex on behalf of the entire Coast Guard will be Captain Kevin D. Oditt, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston commander, as well as members from both Corpus Christi and Port Arthur Coast Guard sectors.
The Coast Guard response team included more than 2,000 active-duty, reserve, civil servant and auxiliary personnel from as far away as Guam, Alaska, and Hawaii. During their response to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, Coast Guard men and women rescued over 11,000 people and nearly 1,400 pets.
Of the 2,519 Coast Guard members who live in the impacted areas in Texas, 51 suffered catastrophic property loss and 124 others reported property damage. Most of the members who experienced these losses were heavily involved in response efforts, despite the personal challenges they faced.
In this time of need, please join us in supporting fellow Texans and their beloved communities! The State Fair will be selling Texas Strong Buttons for $2, with all proceeds benefitting Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Buttons can be purchased at any official State Fair of Texas merchandise location.
The 24-day run of the State Fair of Texas kicks off September 29 in historic Fair Park. Open to the public, the Pride of Texas Award presentation and ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. on the steps of the Hall of State.