Goochland Parks & Recreation seeks nominations for Wall of Fame

Goochland County Parks & Recreation is still accepting nominations for its Wall of Fame, and the county wants residents to put forward neighbors whose service has left a lasting mark on Goochland. The honor is reserved for a Goochland County resident with a longstanding humanitarian commitment to community needs, and the nomination packet is due by June 30.

The award is aimed at more than a simple thank-you. County application materials say the Wall of Fame is meant to recognize social responsiveness and community service on behalf of Goochland County, with the finished display set to live in the lobby of the Parks & Recreation building. A nominee can be someone who led or organized an athletic, recreation or academic program or event that contributed significantly to county residents, but the person must also have at least five years of substantial service and a demonstrated broad-based commitment.

The selection process runs through the Goochland Recreation Advisory Commission, which reviews nominations and votes on inductees. The form asks nominators to spell out achievements, contributions, honors, awards and appointments, making the submission more like a civic record than a short tribute. A nominee must receive a majority vote from a quorum of the commission before being inducted, and the committee decides each year how many honorees will be added.

Residents can get the application online, by stopping by the Parks and Recreation office at 1800 Sandy Hook Road in Goochland, or by calling 804-556-5854 for help. Tom Cocke, the department’s director, is listed as the contact for the Recreation Advisory Commission, which meets the third Tuesday every other month at 6 p.m. at the Central High Cultural & Educational Complex.

Past honorees show the kind of work the county tends to elevate. Wayne Dementi’s induction was celebrated on Sept. 3, 2024, Calvin was inducted in 2016, and Mary Beth Browning was honored at a Sept. 4, 2025 ceremony. Taken together, those names point to a pattern: Goochland is using the Wall of Fame to spotlight sustained volunteer leadership, not one-time visibility, and to publicly value the people who keep programs, events and community ties moving year after year.

The Wall of Fame also sits inside a broader county effort to plan parks, trails, recreation facilities and programs over the next five to 10 years. Against that backdrop, the nomination deadline gives residents a narrow window to name the coaches, organizers, mentors and behind-the-scenes helpers whose work has shaped daily life in Goochland.