Quarterly Outstanding Public Service Award: Matt Tate

For several decades, Matt Tate has made serving others and giving back to the community a priority. His commitment to volunteer service has touched countless families, children, and community organizations throughout the Uintah Basin.
For the past 24 years, Matt and his family have made Christmas a little brighter for families in need. What began as a family tradition of using the money they earned doing Santa Claus to purchase Christmas gifts grew into Santa’s Angels, a nonprofit organization created so others could join in the joy of giving. In 2025 alone, Santa’s Angels helped 112 families throughout the Uintah Basin, providing full Christmas adoptions for 62 families and partial adoptions for another 50. Matt also created and continues to run the Santa’s Angels Used Toy Shop, where donated toys are collected, cleaned, repaired and made available to children in need. For the past 15 years, he has also restored bicycles for local children.
Matt has spent the past 20-plus years bringing joy to children and families by volunteering as Santa Claus. His commitment to service extends beyond the Christmas season. He has served on the Tridell Community Board for eight years, including six years as president, serving entirely as a volunteer with no compensation. He also served as president and a board member of the International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) for four years, again volunteering his time to serve others.
In the past two years, Matt has volunteered with Night to Shine, continuing his tradition of giving his time to causes that bring joy and support to others. Throughout the years, he has also served in church callings and on various boards and community efforts, always willing to step up and lend a hand where needed.
Matt's years of service are a reflection of a genuine desire to help others. From restoring a bicycle for a child, to making sure a family has a Christmas, to giving his time to community organizations, he has consistently found ways to make a difference. His more than two decades of volunteer service have made a lasting impact on the Uintah Basin and make him a deserving recipient of the Outstanding Public Service Award.










