Fort Concho Manager Awarded by United Way

The United Way of the Concho Valley presented Fort Concho Manager Bob Bluthardt with its Spirit of Caring Award, honoring his 20-plus years of service to the organization, at its annual awards luncheon last week.

“Not surprisingly for someone who works at a western fort, Bob is a good soldier,” said Patti Breitreiter, president of the United Way of the Concho Valley. “There’s never a time that we have needed him that he hasn’t answered the call. His service to the United Way – and thus the community – has been strong and steadfast for more than two decades.”

A United Way board member the past six years, Bluthardt has served as the point person for the City’s campaign and annually hosts at Fort Concho a City employee pancake breakfast and fundraiser that benefits the United Way.

That effort earned an Employee Team Spirit Award at Wednesday’s luncheon.

Also during the luncheon, City of San Angelo Public Information Officer Anthony Wilson was announced as the 2015 campaign chairman for the United Way of the Concho Valley. Wilson has served on the United Way board since 2011, has for the past two years chaired Community Impact Panels that assess the effectiveness of United Way agencies, and led the City’s 2009 United Way campaign. That effort generated $102,783 for the United Way, the first time the City’s campaign eclipsed $100,000.

“I’ve always viewed my volunteerism with the United Way as an extension of the public service I render every day at my job,” Wilson said. “To be asked to lead the campaign is a deep honor and a heavy responsibility. I’m practically tingling over the opportunity to be so integrally involved in helping our neighbors in need.”

This year’s City campaign, led by Jade Baucom, a computer support specialist in the Information Technology Division, and Traffic Operations Superintendent Ryan Ward, raised $84,143 for the United Way.