HUNTER DWORACZYK hunter.dworaczyk@taylorpress. net
A local member of the clergy took home the 2023 Citizen of the Year award.
Pastor George Qualley won the honor given by the Taylor Rotary Club annually during the Greater Taylor Chamber of Commerce awards banquet Tuesday, Jan. 16, at the Williamson County Expo Center.
“It is a distinct honor to be chosen Rotary Citizen of the Year and to be linked with so many past community leaders as we all work together to make Taylor a great city,” Qualley said.
Qualley is the senior pastor at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Taylor and is involved with the Rotary Club, Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry, Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts, the Chamber and the Taylor Area Ministerial Alliance.
During his speech introducing Qualley, Ryan Stiba, Rotary Club president, detailed how Qualley does deeds that some would view as undesirable for the benefit of community members, such as performing a large number of funerals for those without a church so that families receive comfort.
Stiba praised Qualley for acts he did this year like setting up a telescope so kids could see the solar eclipse, helping a nursing home receive a wheelchair accessible vehicle and organizing funds to fix a hole in someone’s roof.
According to Stiba’s speech, the person who nominated Qualley said he has been about the community since the beginning of his time in Taylor.
“On his very first day of the job, he went to their child development center’s garage sale that helps them raise money and he rolled up his sleeves to help bag and carry out items for people,” and he has never stopped helping and caring for people in our community since,” Stiba read from the nomination.
The Rotary Club is a civic organization that is committed to the idea of service above self, Stiba said.
The organization started the tradition of honoring a resident for their community service in 1943.
Stiba said the club received 10 nominations for the award this year from other civic groups, churches and nonprofits. Having 10 nominees is a record for the award and the most he has seen since his time in the club, the presenter said.
“It is an extremely difficult task to select just one out of so many worthy nominees,” Stiba said. “It is undoubtedly a true honor to even be nominated in and of itself, and I wish I could share all of their names to recognize these individuals.”
Stiba added that the candidates have to remain anonymous for now since they will be considered in the future for the same award.
