Founders Award

The 2023 Founders Award recipient is Stu Allen!

Annual Founders’ Day Award

By John M. Stone

John A. Brown, founder and charter member of the Waynesboro-Staunton Region, instituted the Annual Founders’ Day award in 1987. John presented the Region with a large silver bowl to be presented to a deserving member each year. His intent was for this bowl to remain in the custody of the recipient for one year or until a successor was found. Then the bowl would be presented to another. The recipients’  names and years of award would be engraved on the bowl. A smaller replica is then permanently presented to the previous winner.

The president appoints a Selection Committee (usually in February) consisting of three region members to determine the recipient each year. Normally, the last recipient chairs this committee, and the other members of the committee are past recipients. Only the president (and the committee) knows the members of the committee. The committee then makes its decision and, if a winner is selected, gets the large silver  bowl engraved and brings it to the April (Founders’ Day) meeting. No one except the committee knows the recipient until the moment of presentation. Although the award has been presented each year, it is not mandatory that an award be presented annually. The Region president obtains the replica to be presented to the previous winner.

The recipient must meet two of the following criteria:

• Supports the by-laws and goals of the National AACA
• Actively supports and participates in local club activities
• Collects and preserves antique vehicles

The following have been recipients of the award: