Will Rogers Communicator Award
goes to Roy Clark


Jim Hartz, Will Rogers Memorial Commission chairman; shown here
with Roy Clark, Will Rogers Communicator Award recipient.

Will Rogers Communicator Award goes to Roy Clark Roy Clark received yet another Will Rogers honor during a celebration marking the 126th birthday of the Oklahoma humorist. During a pause in the Will Rogers Days Parade Saturday afternoon, Clark, the parade grand marshal, received the Will Rogers Communicator Award. He received a plaque and replica of the Jo Davidson statue in the rotunda of the Claremore Will Rogers Museum and the nation’s capitol in Washington, D.C. Jim Hartz, Will Rogers Memorial Commission chairman, made the presentation. It was approved earlier in the day at the official Commission meeting. “The communicator award recognizes the virtues, the values and the consummate skills of individuals with rare talents to uplift and to inspire,” said Hartz. “The humor, down home goodness, candor and entertaining persona of Will Rogers delivered optimism, courage and laughter to a beleaguered world during terrible and troubled times. “Roy Clark so effectively has used his innate talents to similarly perform and to convey the humor, the candor and downright goodness with the same honesty of Will Rogers in a later time of stress and disaster,” he said. One of the first to receive the Will Rogers Communicator Award was the late President Ronald Reagan. Known to be a Will Rogers fan, he frequently quoted Rogers during public appearances. Will Rogers was quoted during Reagan’s funeral. Reagan’s Pacific Palisades Ranch looked out over the Rogers’ California ranch. He was a member with Jim Rogers of “Rancheros,” a trail riding outfit of 300-400 who ride every year in the California mountains. Will Rogers’ grandson, Kem Rogers, met Reagan in his “maverick year” and in later years when the president’s memory was failing, he was at the Rogers Ranch to present trophies at a polo game. “He looked at me and said ‘ride Rancheros, ride,’” Kem Rogers said, pleased he remembered.