STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — To mark the one-year milestone of the COVID-19 pandemic in Routt County, Steamboat Pilot & Today asked people to nominate local individuals who they believed went above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jenny Thomas

Jenny Thomas serves as Routt County chief deputy clerk, and she works long hours, wears many different hats at the courthouse and gives 100% to each specialized job she does. She is an essential worker who has not shied away from work to keep Routt County informed and running, especially through this pandemic.

Jim Engleken

Jim Engleken works tirelessly to keep Natural Grocers organized, food stocked, as well as customers satisfied. He has worked with customers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to keep everyone safe and grocery shelves stocked. He is friendly and helpful and helped make Natural Grocers feel very safe to enter and shop.

Betsy Taylor

Betsy Taylor, who serves as director of Holy Name Preschool, is an amazing woman all around. She is an educator first but an overall selfless person. She puts others first as she shapes the future of this county. She went above and beyond during the pandemic. It started with a sign that stated how much the preschool missed its families. Then she made sure her staff was all OK and financially able to survive during this time. She reopened and ran a preschool during a pandemic, maintained a director and teacher position and took care of over 40 families. She put in countless hours to make sure her staff and the children were taken care of, and families trust her with their most prize possessions — their children.

Jason Marchbanks

Jason Marchbanks always has a joke and a smile while doing his job at the Steamboat Springs Post Office. Dealing with the public all day, every day is a challenge at the best of times, and it certainly has been more so in the last year due to COVID-19. Jason always makes his customers’ day with his sense of humor and efficiency.

Marlo Lentz

Marlo Lentz has been working the front line with no complaint all year in her position at Steamboat Discount Liquors. During the pandemic, she has been working five shifts per week. She interacts, in person, with nearly 100 people per shift every day. She runs the show four nights a week and all day on Sunday. Marlo has helped keep products available to residents as liquor stores have been deemed an essential business.