November 12, 2026, Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Reception
At our November 12, 2026, Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Reception at The Exchange Café in Barboursville, the Orange County Historical Society honored Phil Audibert and thanked the volunteers who help us preserve and share our county’s history.
Phil was named the 2026 recipient of the Frank S. Walker, Jr. Historic Preservation Award in recognition of his lifelong dedication to Orange County history. The award recognizes outstanding achievement and service to Orange County in history, public history, or historic preservation. We’re grateful for Phil’s years of service and the lasting impact of his work in our community.
Evening program
Program | Presenter |
Welcome | Ray Ezell |
Volunteer Recognition | May Saxton |
Presentation of the Frank S. Walker, Jr. Historic Preservation Award to Phil Audibert | Ross Hunter |
Keynote Address | Terri Allard |
Closing Remarks | Ray Ezell |
Our keynote speaker, Terri Allard, brought an Orange County perspective to the evening. An Orange County native who attended Orange County High School, Terri is an award-winning musician and songwriter who hosted Charlottesville Inside-Out on local PBS for 13 seasons. Her work telling the stories of people across the region reflects a commitment we share at the Society to documenting local lives and making those stories accessible to our neighbors.
By the time of the reception, volunteers had already contributed at least 680 hours in 2026, up from 550 hours in all of 2025 and 470 in 2024. That time helps us care for our collections and make Orange County’s history available to the public.
Congratulations, Phil, and thank you to Terri and to every volunteer who makes this work possible.
