The Iron Horse Park and the Mineola ISD Ag Booster Club were each awarded $5,932.21 as 2026 recipients of the Max and Mary Hudson Charitable Foundation.

The foundation was established by lifelong Mineola residents Max and Mary Hudson, whose deep commitment to their community shaped both their personal and professional lives. Max Hudson served as vice president and buyer for Lilly Sales from 1957 to 2000, and Mary Hudson also worked in the family business until her retirement. The Hudsons shared a strong love for their town, their church and the youth of Mineola. Guided by a desire to give back to the community they cherished, they created the Max and Mary Hudson Charitable Foundation as a living trust in 2003. Through this trust, funds were set aside with clear instructions on how distributions would be made following their deaths. Max Hudson died in 2012, followed by Mary Hudson in November 2014.

In accordance with the foundation’s design, a portion of the trust is distributed each year to Mineola ISD for scholarships, the Mineola Church of Christ and one or more at-large community organizations.

The Hudson Trust is overseen by an advisory committee consisting of Mike Ferguson, Jay McGough and Jimmy Phillips, and is managed by Edward Jones financial adviser Leon Anderson. Each year, the committee is responsible for selecting the at-large charitable recipients.

For 2026, the committee selected the Historic Landmark Commission, Iron Horse Park and the Mineola ISD Ag Booster Club, with each organization receiving a donation of $5,932.21 in support of its ongoing contributions to the Mineola community.