Charles A. “Chuck” Chadick, Jr. has been named as the 2020 “Citizen of The Year” by the Seminole Chamber of Commerce.

The award was bestowed upon Chadick at the chamber’s annual banquet held Tuesday evening at Seminole First Assembly Church. Byron Gates, the 2019 Citizen of The Year, made the presentation.

“Our honoree has lived his life to help raise the next generation of volunteers to fill his shoes,” Gates said. “As a Boy Scout of America leader, he gave young men leadership skills that would benefit them the rest of their life. Serving your community was just one of those skills.”

In addition to handling flag ceremonies at Seminole football games, Chadick’s Scout troop volunteered for many years at Interfaith Social Ministries, Seminole’s Food Pantry, on the first two Saturdays in November.

“Many times, it would be a two-week labor of love for the other scout leaders and him, blanketing Seminole with empty sacks to be filled for the next Saturday food pick up,” Gates told the banquet crowd.

Chadick has been a member of the Seminole Lions Club for 31 years and volunteers at Snowman Wonderland, driving a tractor for the tram and fixing electrical issues. During Gusher Days, he organized and ran the club’s car show. According to Gates, the Cecil Sullivan Golf Tournament is his most recent “pet project.” In October, Chadick received Award, the highest honor a Lions Club member can receive.

Chadick served as president of the Oklahoma Oil Museum for 20 years, coordinating the golf tournament that helped finance the museum for the year. He is a longtime member of the Seminole Chamber of Commerce, having served in various board positions, and was also part of the Leadership Seminole Class IV.

For 32 years, Chadick was a switchman inside the Southwestern Bell Telephone office located in Seminole. Since retiring, he has operated a business that installs telephone jacks and video equipment.

“To most people, the office was filled with noises and clicks, but he knew instantly when a click was not the correct tone,” Gates said. “He is known around town as the telephone man. Just name it, he is your guy.”

Gates added that Chadick’s motto is “leave it better than you found it” and he believes in living by the “Golden Rule” in service to God, country, family, community and the Lions Club.

“He lives this every day. He is always there when you need him. Seminole would be a different place if this man had not invested in the youth of this town over the years. Many of those youth still keep in touch,” Gates stated.

Chadick, the youngest of seven children, grew up in Wewoka and graduated from Wewoka High School. He and his wife, Shirley, have been married for 53 years and have two married children, six grandchildren and one great granddaughter.

Chadick joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard Infantry at the age of 17 and served for 38 years, reaching the rank of Major.

Other awards presented Tuesday:

Neil Moelleur Award Rodney Sutterfield

David L. Boren Community Service Award - Seminole County Community Alliance

Director’s Awards - Great Western Dining, Security State Bank and Seminole First Assembly Church.