Kadence Dorman of Chino Valley with Dennis Gallagher. Kadence is one of four Western “Heritage Keepers” Scholarship recipients.
Photo courtesy of Prescott Western Heritage Foundation, Inc.
Almost 300 attendees from throughout Yavapai County recognized students, longtime residents and public organizations during the ninth annual Western Heritage Keeper awards banquet.
Four local students — Tierra McConnell, Kadence Dorman, Taylor Lewis Moore and Ketch Kelston — each received $2,000. All were praised as hard-working, talented and deserving students.
In addition, an individual Heritage Keeper Award went to 95-year-old Angel Delgadillo, founder and owner of the coffee shop-ice cream store on “Route 66,” which was the first transnational highway in the U.S. that crossed through the heart of Arizona on what is now called Interstate 40.
Delgadillo often called the “guardian angel of Route 66,” founded the Historic Route 66 Association in 1987.
Western Heritage Keeper also recognized the nationally known Orme School, a private college preparatory school housed in an old ranch house north of Mayer, operating since 1929. “Orme School has provided students from all over the globe with treatment as the nation’s finest western boarding students,” according to the citation.
WHK presented “volunteer of the year” awards to Drew Desmond, Barbara Nelson and Christa Hoffman. They were appreciatively praised by Dennis Gallagher, Founder and CEO the Western Heritage Foundation, and Keeper President Bob Greninger applauded the three as exceptional volunteers who make impossible things happen.
In final recognition, the Western Heritage Foundation, the parent of all the programs, was cited as being the recipient of the nonprofit organization of the year by the Prescott Chamber of Commerce.
Gallagher said he and his wife Mary Ann had never been more proud of any activity in their careers than being affiliated with the foundation.
The award ceremony was Nov. 5 at Prescott Resort.
