Making Waco Men Better Since 1852

Golden Trowel Award

GoldenTrowel

As one of the highest honors any Texas freemason can receive, the Golden Trowel Award was established by the Grand Lodge of Texas for the purpose of recognizing any mason who has consistently demonstrated outstanding and exemplary service to in the community. Golden Trowel recipients display commitment to masonic principles in general and/or in their lodge. Year after year, these brothers have shown dedication to the moral and philanthropic teachings of Masonry without any thought given to personal recognition. These are men who spread symbolic cement that binds our organization together into a lasting structure. Their results are undeniable as Waco Lodge is the oldest organization of ANY kind in Waco and this would not have been possible without the kinds of leaders that are recognized with the Golden Trowel.

Golden Trowel awardees can be seen in the kitchens preparing a meal for our meetings, laboring on the lodge’s various committees, serving in public office, volunteering on community projects, leading in service clubs, and they are often heavily involved in their church activities and in schools – basically anywhere that a true and steady hand of assistance is needed. These are men who always step forward to fill roles that are often thankless but vital to the success of programs that enrich the Waco community as a whole.

Golden Trowel Awards do not come easily. First, three of the previous five past masters of Waco Lodge(Golden Trowel Committee) must agree and recommend a brother as a worthy recipient. Any nominees for the award must be provided to the Golden Trowel Committee in writing prior to August 30 of any given year. Sometimes, noone qualifies for the award so no recommendation is made but when a masonic career reaches a point of distinction and the brother is recommended at a meeting by the Golden Trowel Committee, members present vote on whether or not to present the award. If the membership votes in favor, an open meeting of the lodge is then held to honor the new awardee and all of his friends and family members are invited to join the lodge in its meeting hall to spend an evening in celebration.

Below are the members of Waco Lodge who received the Golden Trowel. All recipients were presented their awards in special meetings at the lodge except for one: Roger Conger’s award was presented at the Waco City Hall and the mayor of Waco pronounced it Roger Conger Day. Many Waco citizens were in attendance.


Roger Conger

June 21, 1991


George Erickson

July 17, 1992


Joe Creed

November 20, 1992


Nolan Flowers

April 16, 1993


Lonnie Norris

September 17, 1993


Adrian Smith

March 18, 1994


Roy Bryan

November 19, 1994


Jimmy Woodring

March 9, 1995


Fred Hagemann

October 12, 1995


Thomas Riggs

March 13, 1997


Eldon Brooks

November 13, 1997


Emery Stewart

November 12, 1998


Stanley Patrick

February 11, 1999


Harold T. Alexander

April 13, 2000


John Bates Jr.

October 12, 2000


Jerry Collier

January 9, 2003


Max Seirer

March 11, 2004


Claude Ervin

March 10, 2005


C.C. Sirkel

2006


Cameron Talbert

May 11, 2006


Randy Riggs

March 10, 2009


Mel Baker

April 14, 2011


Jim Lowe

October 2014


Kim Cowart

October 2015


Brett Carroll

November 2016


Thomas Waden Jr.

August 2017


Edward Brown

October 2018


Robert Marshall

January 2020