TELLURIDE, Colo. (July 28, 2017) –The Telluride Foundation’s Board of Directors held its bi-annual meeting on July 3rd, 2017 where it selected long time Telluride resident Wendy Brooks as the 2017 Outstanding Citizen of the Year.
The Telluride Foundation created its Citizen of the Year award to honor individuals who unselfishly make extraordinary contributions to the region’s quality of life. Wendy Brooks was one of five citizens nominated by their peers for their exemplary service and volunteerism to the community.
Wendy is the founder of the Telluride Academy which began in her back yard with six young campers in 1981 and today serves over 850 children annually. Brooks is lesser known for her work helping start the Telluride Ski Snowboard Club as well as successfully writing a grant and initially administering the Telluride Medical Center from 1977-79. She also worked with Walter McCleannan to help launch Telluride Central Reservations and was instrumental in the early groundwork that helped open the Telluride Regional Airport. As if that was not enough, Wendy also served on the Telluride School Board when the district bought and restored the old Telluride High School, now Telluride Elementary and served on the board of the Just For Kids Foundation for 10 years.
“For well over 30 years Wendy Brooks has been helping to raise Telluride’s children into adventurous, fearless, kind, open minded and creative thinking adults. As the founder of Telluride Academy, and now still leading three and four years olds at her “Camp Teenie” and teenagers during Mudd Butts International, Wendy has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to her vision that every child deserves to broaden his or her horizons through outdoor learning and interaction with people from other cultures. I know that I am not alone in saying that my children owe many of their strengths as adults to the guidance of Wendy Brooks,” said nominator, Lisa Barlow.
As the 2017 Citizen of the Year, Brooks will receive a commemorative plaque and a grant of $5,000 to be given in her name to the local nonprofit of her choice. Wendy has chosen to support the following nonprofits: Telluride Academy ($2,400), Telluride Ski & Snowboard Club ($800), Telluride Theater ($800) and the Naturita Public Library ($1,000). Brooks shares this honor with Terry Tice (2003), Lissa Margetts (2004), John Micetic (2005), Bill Carstens (2006), John Pryor and Jane Hickcox (2007), Kathy Green (2008), Marilyn Branch (2009), Dan and Greer Garner and Andrea Benda (2010) and Billy “Senior” Mahoney (2011), Anne Brady (2012), Dean Rolley (2013), Kristin Holbrook (2014), Gary Freedman (2015) and Elaine Fischer (2016). A community celebration to honor Brooks is scheduled for August 8th (5-7pm) at the Sheridan Opera House.
The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride community through the cultivation and promotion of philanthropy. It is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that provides year-round support for local organizations involved in arts, education, athletics, charitable causes, land conservation and other community-based efforts through technical assistance, education and grant making. As a grant maker, the Foundation awards grants to qualified applicants that serve the people living and/or working in the Telluride region for the purpose of enhancing the quality of life within the region. For more information on the Telluride Foundation, visit www.telluridefoundation.org.