The Tread of Pioneers Museum honored two Routt County residents on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at the annual Leckenby and Larson Awards reception. Both awards focus on volunteerism, contributions to the community and serving as an inspiration to youth.

Winnie DelliQuadri, nominated by her peers at the City of Steamboat Springs, received the museum’s annual Leckenby Award. DelliQuadri was raised in Steamboat Springs, skiing on Howelsen Hill as a kid, and has served her community most of her adult life. “She has worked tirelessly to preserve our traditions while taking on contemporary challenges, particularly those facing our youth,” wrote Tom Leeson, Deputy City Manager for the City of Steamboat Springs.

DelliQuadri’s over thirty years of service started as the first Executive Director of the Tread of Pioneers Museum where she helped convert the museum from a summer-only operation to year-round. After several years at the Tread, she transitioned to the City of Steamboat Springs where she later became the City’s Special Projects/Intergovernmental Services Manager, “a title we had to create for Winnie because she does so much for the City,” wrote Leeson. “Simply look around Steamboat to see all Winnie has done to preserve and protect our community’s heritage.”

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Some highlights of DelliQuadri’s contributions:

• Securing funding for the Yampa River Legacy Project — protecting the Yampa River and Emerald Mountain, and helping to build the Core Trail.
• Setting up Endowment Funds through the Yampa Valley Community Foundation to support Howelsen Hill and Ice Arena, Public Art, Dog Park, Steamboat Springs Airport, the Climate Action Plan and the Yampa River, among others.
• Vision and dedication to launch “Ski Free Days” at Howelsen Hill which has offered the opportunity for people to experience skiing that might not otherwise be able to.
• Pushed forward the City’s Climate Action plan and the City’s recent emphasis on clean energy, electric vehicles and recycling programs.
• Managed the Northwest Colorado “Beanpole Project” to bring advanced telecommunications/Broadband to Northwest Colorado.

DelliQuadri has also shaped the way our community supports children:

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• She was responsible for creating Young Tracks as a nonprofit (combining Young at Heart and First Tracks to save the failing infant and toddler Young at Heart center), securing funding for a new building and assisting with the planning and design.
• Key to the founding of First Impressions of Routt County, which is dedicated to promoting the well-being and development of young children.

“If you’ve ever worked with Winnie, you know that she is not only a powerhouse of knowledge and competency, but she is also supremely honest and forthright,” Leeson wrote. “Winnie’s integrity has been sought after as she has served on the Boards of Young Tracks Preschool and Child Care Center, Historic Routt County, Steamboat Springs Arts Council and the Tread of Pioneers Museum.”

Outside of her professional life, DelliQuadri continues to serve the community, working with children in particular — coaching kids with the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, providing foster care services to community youth in times of crisis and volunteering as a long-time Rotary member.

She embodies a spirit of service and love of our community that is an inspiration not only to youth but to all of us.

Irlan W. Neas, nominated by his son Bere Neas, was awarded posthumously for the Stanley L. Larson Award. Irlan Neas was a county resident since 1948 and passed away at age 82 in 2011 after battling cancer for 12 years. The following was written in the Steamboat Pilot & Today following his death.

“Irlan W. Neas, a lifetime Steamboat Springs banker who helped three generations of Steamboat families buy automobiles, and made it easy for cattle ranchers to add to their herds, died Thursday in Steamboat. He was 82.”

Although he worked in the banking industry for 63 years and touched many lives in that role, Neas’ place in Steamboat history likely was earned during his six-year tenure in the late 1960s as the mayor of Steamboat. Lincoln Avenue was the only paved street in the city in those years, and Neas was determined to do something about it.

“It was pretty dirty down here in those days,” Neas told the Steamboat Pilot & Today.

Under his leadership, the city established its first one-cent sales tax, and soon Oak Street was paved, followed closely by Seventh Street. The latter provided motorists for the first time with a paved route to the old high school.

Irlan and his high school sweetheart, Jean, were married in 1947, and in 1948, he left her behind temporarily to answer an ad for bank tellers at Routt County National in Steamboat.

“I skied every weekend and night at Howelsen Hill,” he told the newspaper last year. “I like the small-town life.”

His role as a bank executive was just the beginning of his service to Steamboat Springs.

As mayor and a member of Steamboat Springs City Council, Neas helped the town complete a new wastewater treatment plant, build a reservoir and install major waterlines, all without incurring significant debt for the city. During his professional career, he served as president of the Chamber of Commerce as well as president of the Kiwanis Club.

Neas served on the high school advisory board for three years and helped launch the Head Start program in Routt County. He still found time to serve on the board of directors of Routt Memorial Hospital and was an officer for the Fish Creek Water & Sanitation district for 25 years. At one time, he was on the board of the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club.

At the time of his death, Neas remained a member of the Kiwanis Club and was the secretary-treasurer of the Steamboat Golf Club.

Throughout his decades of public service and support of families and businesses in his professional life, Neas played a significant role supporting the community and development of Steamboat Springs.