Patsy Hooks Animal Rescuer Award
— Montanna McMasters
Montanna McMasters graduated from Weatherford High School in
2003 before leaving her hometown for a decade. She returned in
2014 with a big goal — to establish her own business.
She started Antebellum Ale House with the help of her family
and has grown her business into one of the most successful in town.
When she’s not tending bar, McMasters is giving back to the commu-
nity through the Weatherford Noon Lions Club, WeCAN and the
Downtown Weatherford Business Alliance of Texas.
“I think being a local business owner and resident it is our duty
to give back to the community and set that example,” she said. “I
really want to do whatever I can to make a positive difference in
Weatherford, and just making and planning the time to do those sorts
of things is important to me.”
Her cause of choice is animal rescue. She pursues this passion
by volunteering with the Weatherford/Parker County Animal Shelter,
iRescue, Parker County Pets Alive and Parker Paws.
“I’ve rescued many pets from the shelter throughout my life,
but once Antebellum was opened, I wanted to concentrate on the
animals,” McMasters said. “[Having] a pet-friendly patio, I felt that it
was a perfect fit for Antebellum and myself.”
Her goal is to be a voice for animals by promoting adoption and
health ownership practices.
“But also helping raise money for rescues and the shelter is so
awesome and it helps the real heroes — those volunteers that bust
their butts at every fundraising or adoption event, foster as many
animals as they can, donate their time and money as well. I’m proud
to be a part of that.”
Tim Buchanan Excellence in Coaching Award
— Blake Christenson
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Aledo graduate and Henderson State alumnus Blake Christenson is this year’s recipient
of the Tim Buchanan Excellence in Coaching Award. Tim is currently the quarterback
coach in Aledo, having been so for the past eight years, and is the boy’s head track
coach.
He played football for four years at Henderson State and graduated with a bachelor’s
degree in Education in 2005, and a master’s in Sports Administration in 2006. His first
teaching and coaching job was with Weatherford ISD in 2007. He started working at
Aledo ISD in 2009.
Blake has been married to his wife Lauren for almost nine years and together they
have two boys: Casen, 6 and Ryder, 3.
Blake believes that the biggest things he does to give back are teaching and coaching
in his home community, working with the youth in the Awana program at Willow Park
Baptist Church on Wednesday nights, participating in the FCA at Aledo, and helping
coach some youth sports with his son’s teams.
When asked what accomplishments he is most proud of he says that he is most
proud of the moments when he gets to watch his athletes make great achievements.
“Times that we have trained and worked them for, and they have trusted us and
have given us and their teammates their best effort in that moment,” Blake said. “It
could be on the field, track, classroom, community, or everyday decisions. There are
times that are not always evident from the outside or reflected in the results, but those
are the accomplishments that make our profession so great.”
We agree, Blake.