The Col. William “Bill” Lambert Award is a prestigious recognition for a leader in our midst that has made a significant contribution either by word, deed or body of work that benefits our community. The Marching Presidents announce the award each year on the eve of the annual parade, in which they participate.
Nevada City’s Constitution Day Parade, started by Col. Lambert, has been a local tradition since 1967 and is reported to be the oldest and largest Constitution observance in western America.
The parade through the downtown historic district includes marching bands, floats, antique autos, equestrians, politicians and the perennial crowd favorites such as the Ophir Prison Marching Kazoo Band and the Famous Marching Presidents of Nevada City.
Past Lambert Award recipients are retired city manager Beryl P. Robinson Jr., former mayor and city clerk Cathy Wilcox-Barnes, longtime parade organizers George and Pat Harper, city councilman and former mayor Pat Dyer, the late real estate broker Jim Mackey, local writer Dave Carter, Chamber of Commerce executive manager Cathy Whittlesey, former mayor Steve Cottrell, businessman Bob Buhlis, retired Nevada County general services director Dennis Cassella, John Christensen, a leader of community efforts to establish the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum; cartoonist R.L. “Crabman” Crabb, business owners Lee and Susan Thurston, Nevada City public works director Verne Taylor, the late historian Edwin Tyson, the late folksinger/activist U Utah Phillips, city engineer Bill Falconi, Marching Presidents organizer Patti Foster, retired school administrator Karen Chizek, musician Mikail Graham. retired county librarian Madelyn Helling, local builder Gary Tintle and former mayor Paul Matson. Marching Presidents founder David Parker was presented the group’s 20th anniversary award.
The Marching Presidents is a fun-loving and educational group that portrays all 44 U.S. Presidents with reverence, good humor and varying degrees of historical accuracy. For reliable information on U.S. Presidents, see www.americanpresident.org.
Bill Lambert Award Honorees ~ Click Here for Gallery
1990 Cathy Wilcox-Barnes
1991 Beryle P. Robinson
1992 George and Pat Harper
1993 Pat Dyer
1994 Jim Mackey
1995 Dave Carter
1996 Cathey Whittlesey
1997 Steve Cottrell
1998 Bob Buhlis
1999 Dennis Cassella
2000 John Christensen
2001 R.L. Crabb
2002 Lee and Susan Thurston
2003 Verne Taylor
2004 Ed Tyson
2005 U Utah Phillips
2006 Bill Falconi
2007 David W. Parker
2008 Patti Foster
2009 Karen Chizek
2010 Mikail Graham
2011 Madelyne Helling
2012 Gary Tintle
2013 Paul Matson
2014 Reinette Senum
2015 Jesse Locks
2016 Paul Emery
2017 Joanna Robinson and Cindy Maple
2018 Howard Levine
2019 Charlie Brock
2020 Fran Cole