Citizen of The Year

2013 Citizen of the Year is Gilbert Garcia. Mr. Garcia has lived in Jewett for 20 years with his wife, Tammy. They have two sons Cody and Colby. He is the manager at B & B Grocery and has worked for Brookshire Brothers since 1980. Mr. Garcia tries to help most organizations with fundraisers and stays very busy with all the activities his two boys are involved in. He has helped coach youth sports and serves as a Leon ISD School Board Members. Mr. Garcia loves Jewett and feels the community is a great place to live and work.

Business of The Year

The 2013 Business of the Year is Farmers State Bank. The bank first opened in Groesbeck in 1913 and opened in Jewett in 2008. They also have locations in Thornton, Mexia, Wortham, Fairfield and Kosse. Since opening in Jewett, Farmers State Bank has provided financial support to the JACC, Relay For Life, Leon Student Council, Leon Youth Baseball Association, Leon County Livestock Show and many, many more. The bank was also a founding member of the Leon Lions Club and strives to stay active in the Jewett Area Chamber of Commerce. The local branch employees full-time employees.

Organization of The Year

The 2013 Organization of the Year is the Jewett Volunteer Fire Department. This group stays very busy making sure folks are safe. They respond to hundreds of calls annually, both for fires and accidents of many kinds. The volunteer firefighters spend many hours in training to ensure they are able to provide the highest quality help to those in need. The JVFD hosts the annual Coon Hunt which brings many visitors to Jewett and the surrounding area. They help other local fire departments provide annual training to Leon Elementary students about fire safety and how to call 911.

Educator of The Year

The 2013 Educator of the Year is Tammy Garcia.  Mrs. Garcia teaches Second Grade at Leon ISD. She has been an educator for 24 years. She is married to Gilbert and has two sons, Cody and Colby. When not teaching, her free time is spent in activities with the two boys.

Volunteer of The Year

The Lorene Clute Volunteer of the Year is Mrs. Carol Ball. Mrs. Ball is very active in a variety of groups, serving as the Vice President of the Leon County Retired Teachers Association; assistant to the Secretary of the Jewett Extension Education Club; playing an active role in the Hilltop Lakes Chapel Ladies Auxiliary and much more. She has single handedly organized and taught English as a Second Language classes for many women in Jewett over the last three years. She is very active in the Community Clothes Closet and involves her husband in helping meet the physical needs of many of the elderly in the community. Mrs. Carol Ball is certainly following in the footsteps of long-time Jewett Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Ms. Lorene Clute and is very deserving of this award.