Garfield County
Humanitarian Service Awards
The Human Service Commission and the Garfield County Commissioners are pleased to host the 24th annual Humanitarian Service Award Winners!

Mary Meisner - Visionary Leader
Mary Meisner has been a public health nurse for Garfield County for 38 years and has been the Public Health Director for the past 13. Mary partnered with Lift-Up in the 90's to bring a low-income health clinic to Rifle; created of a low cost prenatal program; facilitated the advent of an affordable community health center; works to assure dental care for all; and supports efforts to bring LiveWell Colorado to our county.

Paul Carlson - Adult Humanitarian
Paul Carlson is the founder of Project Graduation, an annual event that has endured more than 25 years. This event provides an alternative, safe, alcohol-free celebration for graduating seniors at Glenwood Springs High School (his alma mater!). The event has been replicated in multiple area high schools with Paul's assistance.

Tish Filiss - You Are My Sunshine
With Family Visitor Programs, Tish Filiss was first a volunteer, then a part-time employee, then in retirement, a volunteer again. She helped launch the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. For Raising A Reader, she reads stories regularly in a preschool classroom. For 10 years, she has served as a Citizen's Rep on the Garfield County Human Services Commission. But her real passion was revealed when, for 10 years, she counseled teen moms at Yampah Mountain High School

Mimi Baldwin - Senior Humanitarian
Mimi, a retired nurse, is a longtime volunteer with what is now HomeCare and Hospice of the Valley, as well as with LIFT-UP and the Valley View Hospital Auxiliary. She is a past president of PEO International in Glenwood Springs, and a member and volunteer with the United Methodist Church of Glenwood Springs. Mimi is the intrepid leader of the Wednesday Wanderers women's hiking and outdoors club.

Diane DeFord - Staff Humanitarian
Diane is a longtime educator at Colorado Mountain College who has worked with hundreds of adults in Garfield County to help them advance their basic academic skills and further their education. She helps adults to obtain a GED and improve their job opportunities or further their education in college classes. She helps raise funds for scholarships by donating countless hours to "Spellabration"; a fundraiser she started to support Learning Lab students and Literacy Outreach.

Twila Stephens - Senior Humanitarian
Senior Volunteer Humanitarian, Twila Stephens, is well known for her nearly 30 years of service to LIFT-UP. She volunteers by stocking food shelves, handling Angel Tree registration, and scheduling other volunteers. For years she volunteered with the Helping Hands group at her church to prepare baskets filled with food and needed items for families in sorrow, or to celebrate the birth of a baby. Twila has cooked hundreds of meals for people in need and has a new position at Sunnyside serving meals.

Diana Banks - Youth Humanitarian
Diana is a senior at Glenwood Springs High School. Her leadership and service through Key Club has impacted a variety of groups throughout the valley including: Campus Kids, the Lions Club, Sunnyside Retirement Center, Valley View Hospital, Kiwanis Club, Special Olympics, Windwalkers Equine Therapy, UNICEF, Salvation Army and Glenwood Springs Elementary.She served on the Board of the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts, volunteered as a Teen Pals Mentor for YouthZone, and as a volunteer for the Glenwood Springs Soccer Club for several seasons.

Volunteer Humanitarian nominees
JoAnne and Ed Anderson
Mimi Baldwin
Diana Banks
Christine Bergstrom
Paul Carlson
Tish Filiss
Marsha Hutson
Debbie Martin
Nancy Rayfield
Ida Lynn Roe
Twila Stephens
Larry Sweeney
Gabe Wooley

Staff Humanitarian nominees
Lucas Curry
Diane DeFord
Mary DesOrmeau
Lisa Detweiler
Jackie Herrera
John Hier
Mary Meisner
Karen Peppers
Jill Ziemann