College Honored as Hometown Hero

Dr. Tom Butler, president of Montgomery College–Montgomery, and Mary Matteson-Parrish, longtime college supporter and former Lone Star College System board member, display the Hometown Hero medallions.

Montgomery College received one of its most significant honors recently when it was named as one of the Hometown Heroes of The Woodlands. The college was honored, along with three other individuals, for its numerous acts of service for the community.

A gala was held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, where Dr. Tom Butler, president of Montgomery College, accepted the honorary Hometown Hero medallion on behalf of the college. Also in attendance were a group of MC faculty, staff and students to enjoy the festivities. These individuals won a collegewide “lottery” conducted to fill the college’s two tables.

The 2007 Hometown Heroes were chosen by a Selection Committee composed of Hometown Heroes alumni, a group that now includes 67 residents of The Woodlands and four businesses that have contributed to the educational, civic, cultural and spiritual fabric of the community.

The annual tradition of honoring Hometown Heroes began in 1999 as a part of The Woodlands 25th Anniversary Celebration, and has continued ever since.

“The Hometown Heroes are those who consistently exemplify that giving spirit through their commitment of time, hard work, compassion, and dedication,” Susan Vreeland-Wendt, director of marketing for The Woodlands Development Company, said. “Many of the Hometown Heroes are pioneers in the community who have helped create and nurture the many community organizations and hometown values that make The Woodlands a very special place to live.”

Montgomery College was chosen for, among other things, its Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL@MC), the Center for Creative Discovery (summer youth camps), Programa Mejoremos (an outreach program for the underserved college population), and the two-year-old on-campus child care center.