The Watkins Award for Outstanding Volunteerism is our congregation’s highest honor, a kind of “lifetime achievement award,” recognizing a member’s ongoing, extraordinary volunteer service over the course of their membership. It is named after Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Watkins, residents of Santa Clara who belonged to the San Francisco Unitarian Church, and became founders of the San Jose congregation. They recognized the need for a liberal religious voice in San Jose, and so invited the Rev. Charles Gordon Ames to speak at the first Unitarian services held in San Jose, in November of 1865.

The Board long ago decided to make this an annual award, to recognize the ongoing contributions of one outstanding member each year, for their many years of service to the First Unitarian Church of San Jose.

.Here is a list of past awardees:

• 2025 — Robert Strong
• 2024 — MM Feldman
• 2023 — Julia Rodriguez
• 2022 — Jan Theiss-Guffey
• 2021 — Connie Hall
• 2020 — Monty Low
• 2019 — Madeline Morrow
• 2018 — Steve Saunders
• 2017 — Mary Martin
• 2016 — Steve Stein
• 2015 — Joyce Miller
• 2014 — Bob Howd
• 2013 — Dena Dickinson
• 2012 — Jean Embree
• 2011 — Gene Martin
• 2010 — Liz Owen