Texas Department of Criminal Justice
Announcements
2010 Governor's Criminal Justice Volunteer Service Award
Randy Richter, "Carol S. Vance" Volunteer of the Year
Randy Richter has been ministering for 30 years. In 1994, he became an approved TDCJ volunteer. After years of participating in prison revivals and seeing the need for free world aftercare and discipleship of Christian ex-offenders, Mr. Richter and his wife established the Law of Liberty Missions Training Center in Buffalo, Texas, for adult male ex-offenders. In addition to this residential ministry, he provides three day crusades at various TDCJ facilities across the state.
In 2009, Mr. Richter accepted full-time responsibility for the development, implementation, and facilitation of the new Faith-Based Dorm program at the Wynne Unit, which is designed to lead the offenders to study the Bible, apply that knowledge to their lives, and share with others their failures, strengths, and hope. Mr. Richter has recruited many volunteers to help facilitate the program and has secured outside funding in excess of $10,000 to support the program.
To emphasize Randy Richter's care and concern, he took the initiative to begin an effort that raised nearly $300,000 to replace the roof of the Wynne Unit's beautiful Rockwall Chapel. He spent countless hours in meetings with donors, security, maintenance, wardens, TDCJ attorneys, and contractors to ensure the chapel would continue to provide the ultimate place of worship for offenders for years to come. The roof was completed in May 2009.
Because of Mr. Richter's dedication and commitment to lead, restore, encourage, and offer hope for those that search for freedom, and to assist wherever there is a need, he has been selected to receive the most prestigious "Carol S. Vance" Volunteer of the Year Award.
In 1999, the Texas Board of Criminal Justice named the Volunteer of the Year Award after Carol S. Vance, former TDCJ Chairman and Board Member, former TDCJ Programs Committee Chair, and current Chaplaincy volunteer (since 1996) at the Darrington and Jester Units. This award recognizes his many contributions in the development of rehabilitative programming offered to offenders to effect change.