GMR honored with the 2011 Spirit of the Centennial Award
GMR Recyclers tapped for 18th-annual award due to saving annual fireworks celebration and for 35 years of providing jobs and community service to the South Dallas neighborhood
DALLAS (updated April 25, 2011) — Crediting them for saving last year’s traditional July 4th fireworks celebration, Friends of Fair Park will present its 2011 Spirit of the Centennial Award to GMR Recyclers and the Goldberg family for their longstanding commitment to Fair Park and the surrounding South Dallas neighborhood. The 18th-annual celebration will be held Thursday, April 28, at a noon luncheon in the Crystal Terrace at Dallas Music Hall. GMR has been an active member of the community for 35 years, and the Goldberg family has lived and worked in the area for over 80 years.
Last year Friends of Fair Park was poised to cancel Fair Park Fourth, Dallas’ official July 4th celebration, complete with fireworks, the Dallas Wind Symphony, and free museum admission. The City of Dallas had partnered with Friends of Fair Park for years, and due to tight budget issues resulting from the economic downturn, the nonprofit Friends organization did not feel it was appropriate to ask them to participate. After months of trying to find a new sponsor, Friends realized that it wasn’t possible to present the fireworks show people expected and canceled the event.
“With less than two weeks to go, GMR Recyclers stepped forward and joined our other partner Dr Pepper Snapple Group to make sure the event took place,” said David Luther, chair of Friends of Fair Park. “Fair Park Fourth-on-the-Fifth was a huge success, attracting tens of thousands of Dallasites to gather together and celebrate our nation’s birthday. It would not have happened without GMR Recyclers.”
Friends president Craig Holcomb adds that the Award is not just about one event.
“This is about three generations of the Goldberg family, going to work every day in South Dallas and doing their part to create a more vibrant and sustainable community,” said Holcomb. “The Goldbergs have proven to be good citizens contributing to the welfare of the South Dallas area by providing hundreds of jobs, giving back to charities and organizations in need, preserving natural resources, and putting millions of dollars back into the economy.”
In November 2010, The Dallas Morning News named GMR Recyclers as one of Dallas’ Top 100 Places To Work, and GMR was recently listed by the Dallas Business Journal as the 20th largest privately owned company in Dallas.
Through the years, GMR has made contributions to hundreds of charities and organizations, including CityArts Festival at Fair Park, the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, Dallas ISD, Dallas Children’s Book Fair, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The Jewish Community Center, Dallas Black Firefighters Association and many more. Most recently, GMR cosponsored the Dallas: Hope For Haiti relief event. GMR employees also work as “earth-friendly activists” to teach the community about the importance of recycling.
“The entire Goldberg family is very honored to receive this wonderful recognition from Friends of Fair Park,” said Kenny Goldberg, president of GMR Recyclers. “Nothing feels better than being recognized as a good neighbor by your neighbors. We are committed to South Dallas and look forward to continued strong involvement in coming years.”
The presenting sponsor of the luncheon is K&L Gates LLP, and the major sponsor is Glazer’s Distributors. Other sponsors are AT&T; Atmos Energy; Bank of America; Ben E. Keith; Scott Burford; Burdin Mediations; Mike and Lori Cohen; Dallas Summer Musicals; HKS; Hunt Consolidated, Inc./Hunt Oil Company; JP Transmission Salvage, Inc.; Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP; Mary Kay; Miranda Realty; Museum of Nature & Science; Parking Company of America; Platinum Event Services, Inc.; State Fair of Texas; Texas Instruments (TI); and The Reeds Public Relations.
The Spirit of the Centennial Award began in 1994 when Judge David Fox was the inaugural honoree. About Friends of Fair Park. Other recipients include Hugh and Matilda Robinson; Walt Humann; Lt. Governor Bob Bullock; the Texas State Legislature; Mary Ceverha, Rita Cox and Carol Reed; State Fair Association; Michael A. Jenkins; Cathy Bonner, Matrice Ellis Kirk and Dealey Herndon; Candace O’Keefe; Rep. Steven D. Wolens; Paul Dyer; Texas Instruments; Rep. Terri Hodge; The Field Scovell Family; Craig Holcomb; The Meadows Foundation; Dallas Area Rapid Transit; and George A. Shafer.
The purpose of Friends of Fair Park is to promote the year-round use of Fair Park; to support the Fair Park Museums; to encourage thoughtful planning for Fair Park’s future; to preserve the buildings, art, sculpture, and related artifacts of the 1936 Texas Centennial.
Friends of Fair Park was formed in 1987 when the Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park was to be demolished. This had been the Magnolia Oil Company’s hospitality suite during the Centennial and later had been home to the Margo Jones Theater where “Summer and Smoke” and “Inherit the Wind” had their world premieres. Alarmed, a group of business leaders, historic preservationists, and Fair Park advocates founded Friends of Fair Park with the express purpose of restoring the Magnolia. They raised $750,000 and then decided to restore the entire park. Friends of Fair Park is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.
Individual tickets are $150 each and sponsor tickets are $250 each. Sponsorships are still available for tables of ten from $1,500 to $10,000. For more information, call 214-426-3400.
