Fremont's Excellent Women

Dr. Angela Bellantoni of Cañon City founded Environmental Alternatives Inc. more than 20 years ago to help solve environmental issues in rural areas. In addition to lower-level degrees, she holds a Doctorate from Rutgers University in Environmental Sciences. She also serves her community in many different ways, including leading Fremont Economic Development Corp. as both Director and President. 

Carrie Hammel of Cañon City serves as Captain for the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, where she commands the detentions division including the jail and all related operations. She began her career in law enforcement as a dispatcher in 1997 and has been promoted to positions of more and higher responsibility over the nearly 22 years since. She is a mentor, counselor, negotiator, and teacher to all those who serve alongside her.

Mary Roberts of Penrose worked with Estes Industries for 46 years in many capacities including assembly line, clerk, marketing manager, rocketry education, and much more. She retired in 2019 but still serves on the Estes Board of Advisors. She has served for 32 years on the National Fire Protection Agency Pyrotechnics Committee and personally has written safety standards for both states and federal agencies.

Jessica Cobler of Cañon City lost her 18-year-old son, Dalton, to suicide in 2014. She has not only found a way to survive, but she is making a positive impact both inside and outside Fremont County. She shares with local schools and organizations the importance of discussing and treating mental health, works to acknowledge National Suicide Prevention Week, and chairs the annual Out of the Darkness Fremont County Walk.

Rebecca Kelly of Cañon City was a life skills and health instructor with the prison system for many years who was honored as Teacher of the Year for a four-state area. In 2009, she went from perfect health to complete kidney failure. She actively sought a kidney donor, creating a Facebook page, YouTube channel, and billboard sign. She worked to bring organ donor awareness locally and was able to receive a kidney transplant in 2015. Although receiving an experimental medication to help keep her body from rejecting the kidney, Becky died the day after she received the news she was a finalist for this Overcoming Adversity Award.

Shelene Royer of Cañon City endured a difficult childhood and was forced to start work at an early age to help with family financials. Overcoming the odds of an unstable foundation at youth, she determinedly put herself through dental hygiene school while raising two children. Today, Shelene has three remarkable children. She and her husband Tony bless the lives of others through mission trips, church, and alleviating the burdens of local school children, experiencing their own difficult childhoods, by running a weekend backpack food program.

Elise Green of Cañon City is a teacher at Lincoln Elementary School. She overcame a difficult childhood filled with trauma and was hit by a motorcycle when she was just 6. Her many injuries gave her speech impediments, but she smiled through it all and hopes to use her experiences in the future to return to school for speech therapy to help others. She worked her way through the University of Northern Colorado and came back to Cañon City to teach here.

Luci Grooters of Cañon City is a senior at CCHS. Adopted from China at a young age, she has thrown herself into local culture and has received numerous awards during her high school career. She volunteers for Pennies for Patients and at the emergency room of the local hospital. She runs varsity cross country at CCHS and is a member of the CCHS Encore! 2018 4A State Champion Show Choir. Luci carries a 4.3 GPA and already has received scholarships for college.

Katie Romano of Cañon City serves as the Fremont County Communities That Care Coordinator. She has brought the CTC program back with renewed energy and verve, engaging new community members while re-engaging existing members across our multi-generational community. She has served mission trips to Rwanda and was Senior Speaker at Augustana College in South Dakota. Her 2017 commencement speech was devoted to finding fluency in life’s passion while remaining humble and perseverant.

Jane Anne Carver of Florence is a nurse by trade who has a heart for children. She worked as a school nurse, where she introduced both drug-and-alcohol and sex education classes into the Florence Penrose School District. She continues to work diligently with formal organizations including Heart of Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates, two local nursing homes, the Methodist Church of Florence, and Sangre de Cristo Hospice.

Michelle Hyatt of Florence devotes time to endeavors that help nurture children as they grow. She volunteers at Florence schools with many different programs and also works with the historic Rialto Theatre as director, producer, actress, Children’s Theatre creator and coordinator, and event planner. She also works with Fremont County 4-H and served as a board member for Heart of Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Elgerine Ready of Cañon City has served her community through a local funeral home for almost the past 50 years, offering love, support and compassion to those experiencing the most difficult time of their lives. She also volunteers through Fremont Civic Choir, Grandview Christian Church, and Christian Women’s Club. Her many talents earned her the honor of performing with her church choir at the Vatican.

Elise McBride of Cañon City is the Worship Leader at Catalyst Church. She works with more than 300 people through her role as leader as well as that of pastor’s wife. She volunteers for and helps lead community events including Hope for the Holidays and Night to Shine. She is an expert on rounding up volunteers who happily sign on to her events. 

Norma Moore of Cañon City is a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church of Cañon City, where she serves in many capacities including Vacation Bible School and Saturday Supper. She is a volunteer tutor with the Cañon City Literacy Center and owns her own business through Arbonne International. She also works tirelessly to help eliminate animal cruelty.

Nancy Silengo of Cañon City helped found Mountain View Core Knowledge School, where she later served for years in both teaching and administration. She and her husband provided a foster family for children in need in Fremont County for 15 years. She is a member of E-Free Church of Cañon City, where she serves selflessly on many different levels.

 Diana Armstrong has brought a high level of success to her position of office and property manager for the Fremont Economic Development Corporation. She helped bring the TechSTART facility to the community, and successfully wrote grants worth more than $750,000. She actively volunteers with other organizations to bring successful events to our community. Diana has a journalism degree and previously served as a journalist reporting Florence news while raising her two sons. With her husband, Mike, Diana owns and operates Westward Machine and Tool, Inc., located in Penrose. Diana is a dynamic force for changes that bring prosperity, community spirit and sustainability to the Fremont County community. Her career achievement is a reflection of her dedication, ethical standards and commitment to service. 

 Marcy Epperson, CCHS history teacher and coach of both cross country and track, is an inspirational role model and mentor to her students. Starting with a degree in social science and secondary education, Marcy enhanced her career by earning a master’s degree in psychology. She is dedicated to leading, guiding and inspiring her students. She teaches her athletes healthy habits for developing strong bodies and meaningful friendships, including the establishment of weekly hosted team dinners. Marcy lives by example, having raised $2,600 for Team for Kids charity during her 2017 run in the New York City Marathon, which coincided with her 45th birthday. Marcy possesses the ability to motivate, educate and inspire all her students, regardless of their ability, popularity or congeniality.  

 Rosalyn Walker is a health care provider with exceptional talent that benefits the entire community. Her background as Forensic Nurse Examiner Program Coordinator at St. Thomas More Hospital gave her the foundation necessary to bring various community and governmental agencies together to provide services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She was instrumental in developing the Kindred Kids Child Advocacy Center to provide a central location with a comfortable environment where children can speak to authorities about traumatic events. This setting helps mitigate painful emotional impacts that can be associated with the investigation of assault. Her achievements have united community agencies and continue to benefit victims of trauma and tragedy, promoting and effecting healing in meaningful and nurturing ways.

 Sandi Allen is a gentle, thoughtful, humble woman who has used her own experiences in adversity to benefit others. She turned her own battle with breast cancer from a private tragedy to a very public experience by helping establish the local Orchard of Hope Foundation. It improves the quality of life for Fremont County cancer patients and their families, through financial assistance to offset the indirect costs associated with the cancer treatments. She continues to volunteer her time with the Orchard of Hope, which has raised and given away more than $1,000,000. Sandi never seeks recognition for her generous contributions. Instead, she turned her adversity from her successful cancer battle into a tremendous blessing for others, making her a true community inspiration of hope.

 Kinsey Larsen is an exceptional and brave teenage woman who has battled painful juvenile rheumatoid arthritis her entire life with strength and determination. As an avid dancer, she is the model of a contradiction to her adversity. She faces and overcomes pain on a daily basis to become not only the best possible dancer, but to be a loving, successful person. An inspiration to others, she is determined to pursue her life and dreams and has turned her physical ailment into fuel for her fire, rather than allow it to dampen her ambitions. Her resilience, tenacity, and grace are demonstrated in her dance and her other achievements. Kinsey finds much happiness in her courageous life and is destined for something amazing; she is truly overcoming her personal adversities.

 Linda Mulder has endured adversity on many fronts, always remaining steadfast in her faith. She constantly ignores her own ailments to focus and assist others with the troubles in their lives. Linda saw her daughter tragically succumb to cancer and now helps her husband, daughter and grandson through their own physical challenges. Linda learned sign language to be able to communicate with her grandson and engages him in various projects. She approaches life with strength of spirit, courage and faith, remaining active in church and helping with the children’s ministry. She doesn’t give up and has become an inspiration to many, an example of Christian charity and devotion, and a woman worthy of recognition for the manner in which she approaches and handles life’s challenges.  

 Sasha Dierdorff is a 23-year-old woman who is deeply connected and involved with her Florence community. She is a confident, smart, witty graphic designer and Florence administrative assistant and Police Department events coordinator, who can’t seem to find enough ways to volunteer her time and talents to help others. She offers her incredible graphic design talents to others through a company she started at the young age of 16. She is the mother of a bright, kind 4-year-old daughter. Sasha has a selfless nature and generous spirit. She is dedicated to public service, and with her nurturing spirit, has achieved more in her young life than most who are twice her age. Sasha is a true rising star.

 Alyssa McGlamery is a compassionate, bright, and thoughtful young woman who loves life and is destined to fulfill a life of excellence. Academically, math is her passion, but she fills her challenging course schedule with a broad range of subjects and teaching styles. She is self-motivated and optimistic with a strong set of independent thinking skills. Aly uses her organizational and interpersonal skills to navigate through life with confidence and grace. She is involved in many CCHS organizations and volunteers in her community. She possesses an innate ethical compass, never hiding the truth to deceive, nor breaking the rules to gain advantage. She is a young woman of great character who truly is a rising star to greatness in her future endeavors.

 Emily Reynolds is an ambitious, bright young woman of strong character whose strongest motivation is helping others. A senior at CCHS, with a love of learning and an excellent academic record to prove it, she often challenges herself to tackle difficult topics and subjects, standing out among her peers. Her many accomplishments include various extra-curricular activities, where she is nearly always elected into leadership positions. Emily possesses a strong work ethic as a disciplined student, yet also tirelessly volunteers. She participates in defining curriculum, schedule and cultural policies through her student service on the Colorado Association of School Boards. Emily is destined, as a rising star, to achieve great things and will surely be an inspiration and positive influence to others. 

 Kathy Herrin made Cañon City her home 36 years ago, and her contributions since then are immeasurable. She has spent an entire career in law enforcement, following her heart to develop and run various programs to connect law enforcement with the community, including Kids & Cops, Neighborhood Watch and Citizens’ Academy. Kathy became Victim Services Coordinator and also trained professionals on victim rights, mental health first aid, and victim advocacy. She also finds time to act in, write and direct local plays and melodramas. She demonstrates a firm work ethic and is a true example of how to successfully interact and get along with all kinds of people, through kindness, professionalism, humor and commitment to serve her community to make it a better place for all.

 Beth Katchmar is a conscientious, gracious and charitable woman who may be best known for owning and operating Pizza Madness. With her husband, Colby, she also owns other food service businesses and numerous rental and real estate properties. She treats her employees as family, caring for and supporting them through times of adversity. She generously provides food and shelter for the needy and employment for the less fortunate, and she also supports fundraising efforts for most every local charity and service organization. Beth also volunteers countless hours for community causes. The mother of three, Beth is humble and downplays her significant contributions to the well-being of so many in the community as she works to improve the quality of life of all she encounters.

 Laurie Trindal is on a mission to feed hungry people in Fremont County. As a founder, former director and president of the Fremont County Pantry, Laurie started the mission that includes giving away hats, coats, gloves, personal hygiene products, school supplies and pet food. Laurie dedicates uncounted volunteer hours acquiring and distributing food, fundraising, raising community awareness, and complying with the requirements of Southern Colorado Care and Share, the oversight organization for the Pantry. The Pantry serves between 350 and 400 families a month. A woman who always is looking for more ways to help others without regard for personal gain, Laurie is one of those unsung heroes who have made a difference in the basic well-being of countless community citizens. 

 Carie Canterbury is a trusted veteran reporter for the Cañon City Daily Record. As a local native, she is proud of this community and cares deeply for its citizens, history and culture. Carie’s appreciation and respect for her community is consistently demonstrated in her ethical, factual, and accurate reporting, written with sensitivity and toughness. An award-winning journalist, she reports on a diverse range of topics, from government and crime to cultural events and human interest. Carie manages to perfect the balance in her life, reporting on the people, events, and issues in the community and demonstrating depth of character, comprised of integrity, empathy and desire to acquire and share information and important stories with others, every day.

 Linda Carlson is a generous, compassionate woman whose contributions and service to her family, community and the less fortunate, as well as health, education and culture are unsurpassed. Highly educated, Linda earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry. She speaks five languages, plays the flute and piano, and is an accomplished fine artist. Valuing education, she is an earnest supporter of all forms of education and often is a speaker for various organizations sharing information about leadership, international and humanitarian projects. Linda also was one of the founders of Mountain View Core Knowledge School and Garden Park Alternative High School. In addition to raising three successful sons, she also dedicates her energy to international and local service projects. Linda contributes countless hours to many causes.

 Vicki Meier began a career with the Federal Bureau of Prisons in 1994 and has demonstrated her depth in character by supporting and contributing to the success of others. An avid mountain biker, Vicki dedicates countless volunteer hours in clinics, teaching, coaching and supporting women who are new to the sport. She is friendly and engaging, showing unrelenting belief in the ability of other women to overcome challenges in cycling sport and life. She also leads the service dog program at the Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, a duty that allows her to see first-hand how lives are improved through a special relationship with a new service animal. Vicki puts her heart and soul into her volunteer activities and to ease hardships in others’ lives.

 Kelly Albrecht has devoted her life to the education of children, doing so with vision, communication, people skills, and the willingness to take calculated risks. No vision is too extensive for Kelly to tackle. She was instrumental in forming the middle school at Cañon Exploratory School, where she currently serves as principal. In addition to her decades of work in the classroom, Kelly also served as assistant principal at Washington Elementary School. Seen by her supervisors, peers, students, and their parents alike as a visionary, Kelly is driven by a deep desire for academic excellence through both student achievement and classroom instruction. Her dedication has allowed her to radiate excellence in her profession.

 Sunny Bryant brought her extensive background in financial administration to Fremont County Government a few years ago and quickly moved up from Finance Officer to County Manager. She diligently reorganized departments and services to provide more effective, efficient governance to all citizens. She has developed a Safety and Security Committee as well as an Internship program at the county. Sunny has found creative ways to improve the lives of both employees and residents. In addition to her full-time job and raising a young family with her husband Chris, Sunny also manages her horse rescue program, Sunny Day Rescue, on their small farm with a big heart in Penrose.

 Cathy Rabe’s outstanding customer service skills have served her well in her more than 20 years of service in the City Clerk’s Office of the City of Cañon City. A true leader in the governmental organization of Cañon City, Cathy makes it her personal priority to consistently save taxpayer funds when and where she can, including recycling, reusing and downsizing when appropriate. Cathy has an incredible grasp of the business undertaken at City Council meetings. She helps organize meetings as well as provide information and materials for council members, the media, and the public. She is driven to improve and enhance the lives of those in Cañon City and Fremont County.

 Joetta Bender had a vision to lead young adults who are felons, prisoners, gang members, prostitutes, and addicts to Jesus Christ to change their lives through the power of the gospel. She turned that revelation into her ministry, Mercy Over Bondage, and now works in clubs and bars, jails and prisons, on the streets and in drug houses to help those who need her. A victim herself of addiction, rape, and other adversity, Joetta now is a true servant to the success of others. Understanding the addict lifestyle, she now encourages and equips her mentees to beat their addiction, give their lives to Jesus Christ, and become the very best version of themselves. 

 Kimberly Carnevale was a professional athlete working toward her dream of being on the United States Equestrian Team. A devastating accident in 1998 left her with a traumatic brain injury, shattering those dreams and leaving her with new goals – learning once again how to talk, walk, read and write. Soon after, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Through her long journey that included a home invasion, homelessness, health issues, Kimberly never gave up. She created her ministry “K9s for the Kingdom” to educate children about brain injury prevention, suicide prevention, anti-bullying, and more. She helps others pick up the pieces of their broken lives while sharing her incredible testimony and giving all glory to God.

 Tristian Radhe survived years of family homelessness, addiction, and abuse after her parents divorced when she was a young child. With no physical, mental, or emotional support, she took care of her younger siblings instead of thinking only of herself. She taught them how to read and tie their shoes; she fixed their meals; got them up for school each day, and even toilet trained the youngest. At the adolescent age of 14 Tristian found herself alone and homeless, yet she took firm control of her own life and managed to graduate from high school when she was only 17. She has continued to support herself while starting college classes with the goal of earning a master’s degree.

 Colleen Barton is the perfect 

example of how one woman can make a difference in an entire community. She serves as Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Fremont County, yet always finds time to be there for others under any circumstances. With every action, Colleen shows how much she loves this community. She participates in local recycling efforts with a smile on her face and a kind word for every person she meets. She has raised two incredible daughters, much of the time without a father figure in the picture, and now eagerly helps out with her four grandchildren. Never focusing on herself, Colleen supports and contributes to the success of her family, her friends, and her community.

 Connie Wahlgren is known as “Granny Scout” to hundreds of young Cub Scouts throughout generations. Serving as den mother and Cub Scout committee leader, Connie fully embraced, loved unconditionally, greeted wholeheartedly with her Southern drawl, and worked above and beyond to create fun and meaningful activities for her scouts. Connie teaches young boys the importance of such character traits as being honest, trustworthy, loyalty, doing a good turn, and being good citizens. Her love for children radiates throughout her life as she embodies the same traits she instills deeply within them. Connie’s passion for life and excellence in character simply make our community a better place to live.

 Joann Weaver has devoted her entire life to service and sacrifice, working behind the scenes without complaint or envy. She gave more than a quarter of a century as a second-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, and even today receives accolades and thanks for the impact she had on young lives. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease led to retirement, but Joann still works tirelessly as a volunteer, even creating a support group for local single mothers. She actively seeks out unlucky and unloved children. A myriad of students on the fringe, community children at risk, and orphan waifs with no bed regard Joann as their stabilizing force and the one person who truly, deeply loves them. 

 Lisa Beicker is a National Vice-President with Arbonne International, a global company with premium brand products with a Swiss heritage. She started her entrepreneurial business in 2002. Lisa soon built her own enterprise into a successful business and now mentors approximately 200 independent consultants and managers. Her influence truly touches thousands of people teaching them how to live a better, healthier life and lifestyle. In 2015 Lisa began working with Loaves and Fishes. She continues her passion for helping people manage their finances and lifestyles. She serves on the Governing Board of Mountain View Core Knowledge School and volunteers at the school. She is not only committed to her own success but the success of all those who come in contact with her. 

 A commitment to serve with the highest level of professional and personal integrity, devotion to duty, and champion of the rights of the community she serves, are all accolades attributed to Fremont County Attorney, Brenda Jackson. Her depth of legal and institutional knowledge is of enormous value to the citizens of Fremont County. She was instrumental in the many legal and governmental hurdles that resulted in the establishment of a consolidated regional communications dispatch facility for Fremont County. Through her community service, church activities, and seminars on ethics, she has taken the term “public servant” to a new level

 Dr. Caterina Spinaris founded the non-profit organization, Desert Waters Correctional Outreach in Florence, after she retired and relocated to Fremont County in 2000.The organization is dedicated to the physical and spiritual health of all correctional staff around the world. After speaking to numerous correctional staff, she coined the term “correctional fatigue” which highlighted the fact that many corrections individuals were suffering ill effect associated directly to the work they did. This concern also extended to those with whom they interacted in the community and their families. Corrections staff began to listen to her theories and apply her concepts. Caterina’s vision and influence has expanded from a small office in Florence to an organization that is known and respected throughout the nation.

 Alicia Brady Smith, a 21 year old, talented, intelligent, vibrant dance student attending the University of Arizona, was shot in a gang related incident on October 12, 2008. She endured many life-threatening surgical procedures during her 41-day hospitalization. Although she suffered greatly from the extreme physical and devastating emotional trauma, Alicia was determined to overcome her adversity and pain, strengthen her resilient character and become a better, not bitter, person as she progressed through this life-altering event. She chose to be an example of forgiveness through her prison ministry and an example to others through the publication of her book, Thread.

 After quietly ignoring it for some years, Shirley Bendell went public to discuss her experiences of being gang-raped in her early 30’s, an experience that led her to alcohol and prescription drug abuse. Instead of leading her down a dark path, the rape eventually empowered Shirley to become a force in her own right and an advocate for other women. She became a world renowned 6th degree black belt in martial arts utilizing those talents to teach Sexual Assault Prevention to hundreds of local women. Shirley continued her journey by joining AA and counseling others as well as forming groups to empower women through faith-based and other organizations. She graduated from Pueblo Community College, was President of the Student Senate, completed her degree in Television Film Video from USC, Pueblo, and started a television film and video production company. In 1997 she was recognized with the Jefferson Award for her community service and work with women and girls in sexual assault prevention. She passed away, at 66, on February 14, 2014, from complications of a successful bone marrow transplant. 

 Imagine going to bed as a sophomore in college and waking up totally blind, as Sandy Esposito did. After learning the essential basic mobility skills and the acquiring a guide dog, she completed her education with honors with a double major Master’s degree. Although Sandy was visually impaired, she overcame obstacles in life and constantly sought ways to give back to the community. She and her husband Joey, and guide dog Bobbie, are full-time volunteer representatives for the Guide Dogs of the Dessert. She has supported others in overcoming their adversities and encouraged blind Coloradans and wounded warriors to acquire and be trained in the use of guide dogs and other service dogs. She has sponsored over 43 service dogs over the past eight years. Her faith-based volunteer efforts extended to the Canon City Pregnancy Center as the Volunteer Event Coordinator, where she organized events to fund the Center and its activities.

 Myrtle Chase, as a young woman, made a commitment to do all she could to help abandoned babies and children. She opened her heart, her home and, frequently, her purse to those in need, especially children. She took in foster children before government support was available. She later worked closely with Social Services to help provide medical, monetary assistance and support services for the children. Hundreds, if not a thousand children, transitioned through her home. Caring for others is an intricate fiber woven into every part of her being.

 Kristyn Econome has been characterized as a silent giver and a silent servant. She has anonymously donated food, household items, and financially supported those in need. While taking time off from her teaching career she has used her gifts and talents to garner thousands of dollars through the City of Cañon City and the Lower Arkansas Mountain Biking Association resulting in new biking/walking trails and the Highland Open Space Project. She is a strong advocate for children and serves with Fremont Adventure Recreation and the Fremont County Tourism Council, and is a member of the Cañon City School Board.

 Marie O’Leary began her teaching career at the age of 18 in a one-room school house then later taught special needs students in Illinois. Upon retirement, she became a world traveler, circling the globe. In her 90’s she moved to Cañon City and became immediately involved in numerous community and church organizations, which included generous donations to the Cañon City Public Library. She was the “rock” for her family as they suffered through the death of her granddaughter and son-in-law. In 2011, in her late 90’s, she received the Yellow Rose Woman of the Year Award for service to her community for her indelible spirit and generosity to friends and family. Her grace, charm, compassion and wit encourages everyone to strive to live long like Marie, who will turn 104 years young this July.