The Telluride Foundation’s Volunteer of the Year Award is in recognition of someone who has unselfishly contributed to the Telluride regional community’s quality of life through volunteerism, community service or philanthropy.

The recipient will receive a commemorative plaque and a grant of $5,000 to be given in their name to a local nonprofit of their choice.

Past Outstanding Volunteers recipients include Terry Tice (2003), Lissa Margetts (2004), John Micetic (2005), Bill Carstens (2006), John Pryor and Jane Hickcox (2007), Kathy Green (2008), Marilyn Branch (2009), Andrea Benda, Dan & Greer Garner (2010), Billy “Senior” Mahoney (2011) Ann Brady (2012), Dean Rolley (2013), Kristin Holbrook (2014), Gary Freedman (2015), Elaine Fischer (2016), Wendy Brooks (2017), Susan Rice (2018),  Barb Gross (2019), San Miguel County Search and Rescue (2020) Cat & Barthold Lichtenbelt and Marti & Partick O’Leary (2020), Corinne Cavender, Lollie Lavercombe, Cara Wilder (2021), Claudia Garcia Curzio, Julia Millan Avila, and Andres Jacinto Alonzo (2022), David Sussman (2023), and Emily Haight and Leila Seraphin (2024).

Nomination Guidelines

• Nominee must be a community member from the region, which includes San Miguel, Ouray and West Montrose counties and the town of Rico.
• Nominees will be selected based on unselfish and extraordinary volunteer contributions to the community that include community service, collaboration, leadership and compassion.
• Nomination must be based on non-paid work.
• Telluride Foundation Board Members and staff are not eligible.
• The award is designed for a single individual, however, exceptions can be made.

Submit by Monday, Sept 8, 2025 at 5 PM. Telluride Foundation will review submissions and select an award recipient in September. For questions, contact Courtney at 970-728-8717 or courtneym@telluridefoundation.org