Nominations Are Now Closed

Since its founding in 2005, the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation has met countless individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty to help improve the lives of those with special needs. Each year we gather to honor these individuals who have “Hearts of Gold” in a way that celebrates and spotlights their dedication to the special needs community with the annual Hearts of Gold Awards. This awards ceremony honors two types of award recipients, our Excellence in Caregiving Awards for individuals providing exceptional care for individuals with special needs – be it one individual or small groups, and our Wall of Fame Awards for community innovators who have helped the special needs community at large.

Congratulations to our 2023 Honorees

2023 Excellence In Caregiving Honorees

Shari Bailey
Kelly Brinkmann
Judy Foster
Miguel Gallardo
Crystal Garcia
Robert Langley
Aby Martinez
Julia Martinez
Lindsey Nelson-Hawk
Cheryl Reilly
Heather Rubio
Jennifer Stevenson
Amanda Templeton
Donald Thomas
Erika Vallejo

2023 Wall of Fame Honorees

Juli Henderson
Amy Kipnes
Margot Newcomb
Dallyn Pesek
Marian Sokol

Click here for descriptions of each type of award and examples of past recipients’ qualifications & achievements.

2023 Hearts of Gold Award Recipients were honored at an awards dinner on Saturday, June 24, 2023.

Please see pictures of the evening below!

The date of the 2024 event will be announced soon. Check back for more information and the opportunity to nominate someone you know that is making a difference!

Join us in celebrating this year’s honorees

Our 2023 Sponsors

Silver Level

Community First Health Plans

Randall & Lenise Stephenson/ Kyle & Sherry Jividen

AmeriGroup

Special Olympics Texas

Bronze level

George Salinas Injury Lawyers

The Arc of San Antonio

Superior HealthPlan

Cavender Auto Family

Christus Children

Patron Level

Center for Healthcare Services

Dixie Flag and Banner Company

University Health

Randy and Rebecca Rouse

Advantage Care Services

Non-Profit Level

San Antonio Independent Living Services

Project MEND

Respite Care of San Antonio

Eva’s Heroes

Down Syndrome Association of South Texas

SA Life Academy

Mobility Worldwide

University of the Incarnate Word School of Professional Studies

HeartGift

Brighton Center SA

Children’s Rehabilitation Institute Teleton USA

Camp Camp

Sponsor Hearts of Gold

Please consider participating as a table sponsor for this event to join us in celebrating those who make a difference every minute of every day. Your sponsorship allows us to honor our 2023 Hearts of Gold Award recipients in a way that celebrates and spotlights their extraordinary positive impact on our friends with special needs, as well as supports the advancement of our collective mission of inclusion.

Past
Excellence in Caregiving
Recipients

2022

Esther Blakely
Denise Briley
Patricia Carlisle
Angelica Diaz
Jenna Forrest
Susan Galindo
Linda Gifford
Dan Goss
Sandra Heck
Timothy Hill
Stephanie Kafka
Veronica Orduno
Jorge Perez
Bill Pitillo
Ronna Reid
Ruth Rogers
Joanna Schofield
Elizabeth Smart
Rebekah Woosley

2021

Fredia Bassham
Sylnita Bougere
David Buendia
Sherri Burton
Eloy Dominguez
Ashley Garcia-Everett
Michelle Hays
Baldemar Huerta
Teresa Johnson
Tammy Martin
Gary Medlock
Kela Mitchell
Jamie Pivonka
Karen Portis
Marion Thomas

2020

Margaret Ashu
Devyn Branscome
Rosemary Brock
Jurita Brown
Erin Cassidy
Sylvia Castro
Desmond Chretien
Tracy Collins
Jody Copp
Olivia Dickinson
Lynette Francis
Ericka Freeborn
Esther Gomez
Barbara Hadley
Kreg Hazlett
Judy Hooper
Monica McDivitt
Glen Medellin
Santiago & Lizdelia Pinon
Veronica Reyes-Carbajal
Maryann Saucedo
John Ward
Faith Westmoreland
Bonnie Whiting
Noah Willoughby

2019

Lisa Alvarez
Stephanie & David Barnett
Jeri Bastian
Marissa Beauchesne
Debra Blackwood
Zsuzsi Bresnahan
JR Cantu
Phyllis Cantu
Pamela Espurvoa Allen
Michael Flores
Andrea Gander
Bianca Garcia
Breanna Gorman
Colebin Griffith
Graciela Hernandez
Becky Hogg
Pauline McRae
Rebecca Morales
Destiny O’Neal
Michelle Pagiliarini
David Pitts
Rosa Ramirez
Erica Sirmons
Kathleen St. Davis
Jessica Tenequer

2018

Cheryl Ann Bayer
Bianca Buruato
Stephanie Cale
Andrew Casey
Heidi Dukeshire
Bonnie S. Galvan
Mercy Gutierrez
Lily Heaner
Charles L. James
Kathleen Kraemer
Lisa M. Lopez
Maria Martinez
Donna McKenzie
Lady R. Morgan
Monica-Pendleton
Nancy Schwartz
Charisse D. Su
Charlene H. Smith-Washington
Deborah Lynn Synder
Trixie Stanford
Pam Stephens
Shaleen Stover
Tira Van Natta
Wendell W. Waldron
Kimberly Woods

2017

Beverly Adams
Betty Alaniz
Yvella C. Allen
Valerie Bailey
Sabrina Beach
Arlo “Oz” Bray
Peggy Brown Bean
Eddie Canales
Irma Canfield
Tom & Iris Carrigan
Anita Clark
Alicia Costello
Lanita Cruz
Staci Daniels
Ana Esparza
Jose Espino
Johanna Dee Evans
Jennifer Layne Fitzhugh
Kasha Forney
Irene H. Gonzalez
Lupita Guerra
Emily A. Hansen
Margaret “Peggy” Harrison
Abosede Kirchner
Robin Lynn Martinez
Lindsey McDuff
Bob Mecke
Christina Nikki Mojica
Rose Montemayor
Dana Nitschke
Letty Orozco
Lisa Owens
Dana Ramos
Joe S. Ramos
Rosa Reyes
Donna Rodgers
Olivia Rodriguez
Patricia Ruiz
Maria G. Saldana
Carolina Sanchez
Olimpia G. Sauseda
Norma Sotelo
Marta Irene Switlick
Alvin Taylor
Erika Tinajero
Katherine Villanueva
Sara Vlasek
Bridget Walker
Denise N. Wong
Richard McCarthy & Elaine Fee

Past
Wall of Fame
Recipients

2022

Marty & Tim Barnes
Dr. Jannine Cody
Susie & Tom Cummins
Melissa Hall
Julie Sherrill

2021

Tom “TBone” Bounds
Joey Cavazos
Jennifer Dantzler
Dr. Elvia L. Espino
Sergio Zarate

2020

Caregivers
Frontline Workers
First Responders
Healthcare Workers

2019

Barbara Goldman
Jerry Horton
Erin O’Meara Kiltz
Rebecca Kuntz
Betty Nakafunvu

2018

John Lee Cronin
Greg Johnson
Grant Dean Manier
Emma Faye Rudkin
Barbara & George Williams

2017

Dr. Ana Allegretti
Donya Catlett-Vise
Bert Pfiester
Mary Scalise
Cory Woodard

2016

Heather Astuto
Kevin & Melissa Johnson
Susan Moulton
Mindy Scheier
Dr. Barbara Whinery

2015

Lisa-Maria Boody
Christopher L. Contreras
Archer Samual Hadley
“The Madison 5” Family
Andrew McAllister

2014

Christina Barton
Sumiko Hamilton
Beth Hewitt
Joel & Carolyn Price
Jordan Thomas

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Nominations Are Now Closed

Congratulations to our 2023 Honorees

Join us in celebrating this year’s honorees

Our 2023 Sponsors

Sponsor Hearts of Gold

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Morgan's Wonderland Is A 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization. EIN Number: 26-1219640 2023 © Morgan's Wonderland. All Rights Reserved. | Website designed & developed by iNNOV8 Place

Past
Excellence in Caregiving
Recipients

Past
Wall of Fame
Recipients

Morgan's Wonderland Is A 501(C)(3) Nonprofit Organization. EIN Number: 26-1219640
2023 © Morgan's Wonderland. All Rights Reserved. | Website designed & developed by iNNOV8 Place