Provided

This year, our readers selected Hobert “Gunny” Brown Jr. as our Pioneer of the Year for his tireless work for lower taxes and smaller government. We congratulate Mr. Brown and the runner-ups, Vance Snider and Idella Thomas-Jackson for their recognition by our readers.

But, we also wanted to take a moment to recognize one more deserving recipient in our community.

Over the course of 2020, there has been no greater story than our community’s struggle with COVID-19, from both a healthcare and economic standpoint. Numerous local businesses have gone out of business and people have gotten sick in our community. During the course of all of the madness of 2020, local essential workers in Amarillo have never given up in their service to the community.

From local healthcare workers to those who have jobs that lack the benefit of calling in sick, our local essential workers have kept Amarillo running this year.

So, for this year, we would like to honor all of our essential workers in Amarillo as an honorary recipient of the Pioneer of the Year honors. To all of our essential workers reading this article, our community is certainly a better place because of people like you. Thank you for your continued service to our community and we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.