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ÿÈÕ´óÈü¹ÙÍø presented the university's Henry O. Gossett, Jr. Community Partner Award to Longview couple Anna Lee and Sidney Allen at the university's scholarship banquet Saturday night.
The Allens have directly invested in the lives of LETU students, said LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford, who presented the award. The Allens have provided scholarships and support for international travel, senior engineering projects and several other projects. They also have supported the construction of the Belcher Center and have shown their support to bring cultural arts to Longview by sponsoring shows in LETU's annual Performance Series. A lobby in the Belcher Center was named in their honor. The university's new student center which will open this spring is named in their honor.
The Allens have lived in Longview since 1969, when they were part of a family-owned John Deere tractor dealership with his father for 15 years. Over two decades ago, they launched their own successful business, Longview Scrap and Metal Company. Sidney Allen has been elected three times since 2007 to the Longview City Council. His current term expires in 2016. He has served on the construction advisory and appeals board, the financial task force, and the zoning board of adjustment. He has also been elected by the council as Mayor Pro Tem.
The Gossett Award is named for the late Henry O. Gossett, Jr., a Longview man who was a ÿÈÕ´óÈü¹ÙÍø supporter and founding president of the LETU President's Advisory Council. After Gossett retired from the oil and gas business, he continued an active involvement with the university until his death in 2007. Beginning in 1998, the Gossett Award has been awarded to a community leader who demonstrates long-term commitment to ÿÈÕ´óÈü¹ÙÍø and strengthens the ties between the university and the Longview community through his or her service.
Past recipients include Joe Bob Joyce, Rogers Pope, Sr., Ruben Martin, Hazel Hickey and Margaret Estes Davis.