We’re making OkraFest history this year by celebrating one of our biggest supporters with our first-ever OkraFest Honoree recognition. Tom Schwenk of Coldwell Banker TGRE has been a friend to GOFM for years, not only as a financial investor in our programs and events, but as a confidant, advisor and overall fighter of the good fight. Without Tom, GOFM’s pattern of growth in recent years would likely not have happened. With Tom, it happened with the love and faith of a local mensch to champion us.

Tom has been the presenting sponsor of OkraFest for several years–and he continues this venerable tradition in 2023, thank the gourds—yet he also bolsters our programming throughout the year by shopping at the market, sponsoring our Market Mile funrun, introducing us to more people who want to support GOFM’s work, and reliably answering the phone whenever our executive director needs a friendly ear. Tom and his dynamic team demonstrate the exponential impact to be reaped when community members give back–with TGRE behind us, GOFM was encouraged to dream and plan for how much more we could do for Galveston in the name of connecting good food and good people to one another. A blue-ribbon friend like Tom is invaluable, whether you’re throwing a big party or not.

Luckily in our case, we are throwing a big party–and we’re proud & thrilled to honor one of the biggest dills of them all, Mr. Tom Schwenk.