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.
June 21, 1991
George Erickson
July 17, 1992
Joe Creed
November 20, 1992
Nolan Flowers
April 16, 1993
Lonnie Norris
September 17, 1993
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
November 2016
August 2017
Edward Brown
October 2018
Robert Marshall
January 2020