GALT, CA (MPG) - Galt Community of Character Coalition on May 21 presented its 2024 Honesty Award to Rebecca Weaver and David Herburger.

Weaver has served as the teen center treasurer since it was established in 2019. Character coalition member Pam Carmichael presented the awards at Galt City Council’s regular meeting, reading the nomination narrative by teen center President Sarah McFadyen.

“Rebecca is meticulous with numbers, which is vital to be a successful treasurer. Rebecca is always honest in everything she says and does,” Carmichael read, noting that Weaver documents teen center finances “in full transparency,” willingly learns new accounting software and ensures that another person is always present when she counts donations. 

“She goes above and beyond her duties as financial recorder and also helps to plan events, make edits for important documents, and maintains our website. Our GTC team especially loves Rebecca’s sense of humor, which lightens everyone’s mood,” the narrative concluded.

Next, Carmichael turned to David Herburger, who was nominated by Galt Sunrise Rotary. 

Herburger’s nomination narrative highlighted his long career working at and eventually owning Herburger Publications, the Herald’s former parent company.

Referencing Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who said the opposite of love is not hate but indifference, the narrative added that the opposite of honesty is not lying but indifference.

When Herburger was a child, charged with delivering newspapers for the family business, he tried to get out of the work by dumping some of the papers in the bushes, but he was caught by his mother’s best friend.

“This was a significant early lesson for David about lying and deceit that laid the foundation for both his work ethic and his commitment to honesty,” Carmichael read.

Herburger’s parents “embedded in him the responsibility of being the newspaper of record for a community,” the narrative said, continuing that he had brought a commitment to honesty to each organization he has been a part of, including Rotary, Galt District Chamber of Commerce, Sunshine Food Pantry and Galt United Methodist Church.

Herburger’s son Daniel was quoted as saying, “Dad never expects anyone to be someone other than who they are; he accepts who you present yourself as.”

Galt Mayor Paul Sandhu thanked Herburger for his contributions in the community.

City Council Member Rich Lozano said, “It really shows that when you have people in the community see who you are and provide an award, it really means a lot.”