Park City Rotary Names 2018 Citizens of Year

 

Two distinguished community leaders were recognized by the Park City Rotary Club as its Citizens of the year for 2018. Wally and Lorraine Stuecken, along with Assistant Summit County Manager Anita Lewis were recognized by the club August 20. They will serve as honorary marshals of the 124th Miners’ Day Parade on Monday, September 2.

Wally and Lorraine Stuecken were named as the Jack C. Green Volunteer Citizens of the Year. Lewis was honored as the Linda Singer-Berrett Professional Citizen of the Year. Wally passed away this past February.

 

“Our Rotary Club is motivated by service,” said Club President Colin DeFord. “So it’s only fitting that we reach out and recognize those in the community outside our club who are working alongside us to make Park City a better place to live for all.”

 

The Stueckens move to Park City in 2006 and immediately became full-time volunteers. After all, it’s what they did back in their home of Michigan.

 

The contribution to the community by the Stuckens is seemingly endless. Gardening was a big part of their contributions to Park City from trees along the rail trail to gardens at the Park City Library and Welcome Center. They also completely landscaped the Christian Center.

 

Despite being in their 80s, their volunteering touched on nearly all of Park City’s valuable nonprofits from the National Ability Center, Peace House, Park City Film Series, Kimball Art Center, Women’s Giving Fund, Recycle Utah, Park City Foundation and many more. They were also a familiar couple working Deer Valley symphony concerts. At the Park City Hospital their service touched many areas from helping newcomers to the hospital to celebrating new babies and helping develop the community gardens.

 

They also ‘adopted’ an Hispanic family in need, playing a vital role in their ability to prosper and grow in Park City. When Wally passed last February, one friend said: “Park City didn’t just lose volunteer, we lost a compassionate, gentle soul - a human we should all aspire to be. We lost the grandpa we all wish we had.”

 

Through 30 years of continuous service to Summit County, Lewis has served as a force for growth and change, bringing together the east and west sides of the County, and inspiring female employees to walk in the path she paved. She has always championed the underserved in the community and guided newly elected county officials and staff. She is a renowned source of institutional knowledge in Summit County.

 

A lifelong resident, she grew up in Upton outside Coalville, graduating from North Summit High School. She began her career with Summit County in 1989 as a planning secretary, moving up through the ranks over the years. In 2008 she took on the role of assistant county manager. 

 

Through her professional career, she has been holding together all facets of Summit County. She was of particular help in the county’s transition from a commission form of governance to a County Council and county manager.

 

Her responsibilities over time have included nearly every aspect of the county from Olympics to senior citizens to arts, history and the county fair. She has been active in the community serving on the Pease House board, local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and being an active advocate for open space preservation. She recently helped coordinate with Union Pacific Railroad on the ‘Big Boy Sesquicentennial Celebration. 

 

The Citizen of the Year awards were presented by past Rotary President Bob Richer, who chairs the Citizen of the Year search committee, presented the awards.

 

“Each year we hear of more amazing stories of people like Anita and the Stueckens who have dedicated their lives to making our community a better place to live,” said Richer. “This is always a proud day for our Rotary Club.”

 

The Jack C. Green Volunteer Citizen of the Year award is named after the former Park City mayor from 1978-86 who was instrumental in rallying community volunteerism during the community’s formative years as a destination resort. The Linda Singer-Berrett Professional Citizen of the Year Award is named in honor of Park City Rotary’s first female president who was a strong community leader in her role as a teacher and school principal before her passing in 2000.

 

The Park City Rotary Club, which began in 1980. started its citizen of the year awards program in 1981, adding the professional category in 1993. The list of past recipients is a veritable who’s who of individuals who have made a vital difference to the quality of life in the Park City community.

The Park City Rotary Club, which was named Utah Rotary Club of the Year in 2014, is a community service organization comprised of community and business leaders who engage in activities to give back to Park City and the global community. Founded in 1980, the club has around 100 members and is a part of Rotary International. Among its many activities is the management of Park City’s annual Miners' Day festival every Labor Day. 

 

The club organizes a wide range of annual fundraisers benefiting local causes and international outreach programs, granting over $1 million since its inception. Two years ago the Park City Rotary Club granted $125,000 to three local non-profits - PC Tots, Citizens for Children’s Justice and Bright Futures/Park City Education Foundation. As a result of its success with Running of the Balls at Miners’ Day, next month it will award its annual small grants to nonprofits along with a special $10,000 impact grant.

 

PARK CITY ROTARY CLUB CITIZENS OF THE YEAR - PAST RECIPIENTS 
Jack C. Green Volunteer Citizen of the Year
2018 - Wally and Lorraine Stuecken
2017 - Craig Cooper 
2016 - Carol Loomis
2015 - Kim McClelland
2014 - Glenn Artist
2013 - Bruce Erickson
2012 - Mo Hickey
2011 - Joel Fine
2010 - Mary and Charlie Wintzer
2009 - Lynn Fey and Sydney Reed
2008 - JoAnn Krajeski
2007 - Val Chin
2006 - KPCW Radio Volunteer DJs
2005 - Summit County Sheriff Search and Rescue
2004 - William Brown
2003 - Toni Gannon and Tom Heffron
2002 - Sarah Jones
2001 - Arlene and Lew Fine
2000 - Lani Furr
1999 - Dana Williams
1998 - Linda Meyers
1997 - Shelley Weiss
1996 - Debbie Reid
1995 - Summit County Friends of Animals
1994 - Dixie Geisdorf
1993 - Evelyn Richards
1992 - Park City Ambassadors
1991 - Lou Hudson
1990 - Jack Dozier
1989 - Bob Marsh
1988 - Meeche White
1987 - Bob Wells
1986 - Nan McPolin
1985 - Ann MacQuoid
1984 - Jack Green
1983 - Tina Lewis
1982 - Emergency Medical Technicians
1981 - Bea Kummer

 

Linda Singer-Berrett Professional Citizen of the Year
2018 - Anita Lewis, Summit County
2017 - Charlie Sturgis, Mountain Trails Foundation
2016 - Wendy Fisher and Cheryl Fox, open space advocates
2015 - Leslie Thatcher, KPCW
2014 - Colin Hilton, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
2013 - Mike Leurs, Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District
2012 - Sister Mary Ann Pajakowski, Holy Cross Ministries
2011 - Randy Barton, Egyptian Theater
2010 - Scott Loomis, Mountainlands Community Housing
2009 - Not awarded
2008 - Candy Erickson, Park City leader
2007 - Lloyd Evans, Park City Police
2006 - Nora Shepard, Summit County Community Development
2005 - Hal Smith, Park City High School
2004 - Rob Slettom, Identity Properties
2003 - Julie Wilson, Deer Valley Resort
2002 - Bonnie Park, Snyderville Basin Rec
2001 - Michael Shepherd, Park City High School Football
2000 - Bob Wheaton, Deer Valley Resort
1999 - Troy Duffin, Mountain Trails
1998 - Ron Ivie, Park City Municipal
1997 - Stein Eriksen, Deer Valley Resort
1996 - Mary Morrison, Recycle Utah
1995 - Rick Brough, KPCW
1994 - Tom Cammermeyer, Norwegian School
1993 - Nick Badami, Park City Ski Area