SAN ANTONIO (June 17, 2019) —Trinity Oaks will present its most prestigious awards, the Lt. Paul Silber Award and the Partner of the Year Award, at the 7th Annual Gala Under the Stars on August 10 at La Vilta Assembly Hall on San Antonio’s scenic River Walk. The Lt. Paul Silber Award is given to a combat veteran who is dedicated to conservation and community volunteerism, and the Partner of the Year award honors hunter-conservationists who have consistently given their time, talent, and support to Trinity Oaks. Paul Babaz will receive the Lt. Paul Silber Award, and Roger Schmidt will receive the Partner of the Year Award.
Paul Babaz served in the U.S. Army as a helicopter crew chief from 1989 until 1993, and he took part in Operation Desert Shield while serving with the 872nd Medical DET/CO and the 990th Medical DET. He was also part of Task Force Jaguar, operating throughout Central America. Babaz is currently serving as the 37th President of Safari Club International. He currently serves as a board member of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation U.S. Delegation and the Congressional Sportsman’s Foundation. He is a board member of the National Rifle Association and is active in many hunting, conservation and advocacy organizations. He and his family reside in Atlanta, Ga.
Roger Schmidt is a lawyer by trade and an avid hunter and conservationist who has generously provided pro bono legal services to Trinity Oaks. While active in law, Schmidt also is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, and he is the founder and president of Young Chefs Academy, the leading children’s cooking school in the world which offers cooking classes to children in a safe environment that encourages discovery and creativity. He is an army veteran, avid competition shooter and owner of a full-service gun shop in Conroe, Texas. An active member of numerous outdoor, firearm and conservation groups, Schmidt constantly displays his lifetime dedication to the firearms industry, conservation and hunting. He and his family currently reside in Waco, Texas.
The Under the Oaks Gala dinner and auction has grown into the premier fundraising event for Trinity Oaks, attracting more than 500 guests from across the country and often selling out months in advance. This year’s Gala will feature live music from Zach Nytomt; an open bar sponsored by Rahr & Sons Brewery, Miranda Lambert’s Red 55 Winery and Rebecca Creek Distillery; incredible food by Black Tie Catering; raffles; games; an extensive silent auction; and a world-class live auction that includes trips and hunts around the world. All proceeds from this event will bring vital funds and support to the Trinity Oaks programs and services it provides.
Please join Trinity Oaks as they honor these two distinguished men on the evening of August 10th at Trinity Oaks 7th Annual Gala Under the Stars. Tickets are still available. Individual tickets are $200 apiece, and tables run $5,000 to $10,000. To purchase tickets, CLICK HERE. This is an evening you won’t want to miss.
About Trinity Oaks
In 2007, San Antonio native Tom Snyder founded Trinity Oaks, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on the premise that active participation in the outdoors is a powerful, healing, and fundamentally life-changing experience. The organization’s mission is to use hunting, fishing and outdoor activities to make a meaningful difference in the lives of underprivileged kids, terminally ill children and combat veterans. Each year, Trinity Oaks offers at least 50 events at no expense to those who can benefit from once-in-a-lifetime hunting or fishing experiences. For more information on Trinity Oaks, visit www.trinityoaks.org, or call (210) 447-0351. For more information on Thumbtack Ranch, visit https://trinityoaks.org/thumbtack/.
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