Don Buckalew’s Golden Anniversary – 50th Anniversary, $50K to charities

CONROE, Texas - Don Buckalew, Montgomery County native and owner of Buckalew Chevrolet, recently celebrated his golden anniversary, marking 50 years of business with his dealership. To commemorate the occasion, he hosted a special luncheon event for his employees.

At the event, Buckalew showed a video of the timeline of his business, from his partnership with W.B. Weisinger with Weisinger-Buckalew Chevrolet in January of 1965 to his sole ownership of Buckalew Chevrolet in 1974 to his business today. Representatives from General Motors presented him with a “50-Year Dealership” award, and Scott Harper of the Conroe Area Chamber of Commerce staged a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Baylor University – alma mater of most of the Buckalew family – sent a letter congratulating Buckalew on his success. Congressman Kevin Brady sent a Congressional Record, a written declaration of Brady’s thoughts on and respect for Buckalew that he had shared with the United States House of Representatives.

As the celebration continued, Buckalew received hundreds of congratulations of local residents and industry leaders alike. However, the 81-year-old family and business patriarch continued his lifelong ethic as he made two announcements. First, in an initiative he announced as “50 for 50,” Buckalew presented a check totaling $50,000 that would be divided among six Montgomery County charities. Additionally, he presented another check for $50,000 that would be shared among a vast majority of his employees. The two checks and their combined value of $100,000 had a profound effect on the attendees of the event.

“Don Buckalew has always been a hero of mine,” said Bruce Tough, Chairman of The Woodlands Township. “I knew I had arrived – politically speaking – when I received his support when I ran for – and was elected to – trustee for the Conroe school board in 2003. The honor was even greater because my daughters attended Buckalew Elementary School – which was of course named after him – in The Woodlands.”

Texas State Representative Will Metcalf also spoke of his appreciation for the lifelong Montgomery County resident. “Don Buckalew has always been a great asset to the community. We are blessed to have such great leaders in Montgomery County,” he said.

“We are honored to present this Congressional Record to such an esteemed member of the community,” said Tracee Evans, Communications Director for Congressman Brady. “The benefits he has provided to Montgomery County are long-standing and far-reaching.”

Believing that a strong living ethic begins early in life, Buckalew and his family are strong supporters of local education efforts and are involved in numerous youth organizations that support education, athletics, and family structure. Additionally, he has served in leadership roles in many community and charity organizations in the area, including the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

In early August, Buckalew will present checks to the directors of the six nonprofit organizations that he chose to receive the donations from his “50 for 50” initiative. The Montgomery County nonprofit organizations benefiting from Buckalew's donation include the Montgomery County Youth Services, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Montgomery County Emergency Assistance, Children's Safe Harbor, The Montgomery County Women's Center, and Meals On Wheels Montgomery County. Additionally, he is offering various “50 for 50” incentives on his inventory throughout the month.

Buckalew Chevrolet is located at 1100 Interstate 45 South in Conroe. For more information, please visit www.buckalewchevrolet.com or call (936) 756-5581.